Andretti Autosport officially confirmed a rumor that’s been circling around IndyCar over the better part of the last six months – Alexander Rossi will not drive for the team in 2023.
Mired by bad luck, underwhelming results and a displeasure from where it was coming from, it was extremely evident that Rossi – the 2016 Indy 500 champion – wasn’t enjoying his time at Andretti.
The team confirmed on Wednesday that Kyle Kirkwood, the favorite to win this season’s rookie of the year award, will be taking the reigns of the No. 27 car that Rossi currently drives in 2023.
“We really enjoyed having Kyle as part of our Indy Lights team and he’s off to a strong start in INDYCAR,” Andretti Autosport Chairman and CEO Michael Andretti said. “I think he’ll bring a fresh perspective and will be competitive. We are looking forward to helping him continue his career growth.
Kirkwood is set to be the second youngster on the four-car team, with another entry potentially opening up in the coming years if Colton Herta and Andretti start a Formula 1 team.
As for Rossi, the IndyCar veteran is expected to jump to another top IndyCar team, with Arrow McLaren SP being the lead candidate to land him.
The NTT IndyCar Series returns to the track Sunday, taking to Detroit for a 2:00 p.m. CT slot on USA Network.
