Linus Lundqvist is one of three rookies contesting the entirety of the 2024 IndyCar season, and feels that he has access to all the resources he needs to compete with the best at the top level.
Lundqvist won the IndyNXT championship in 2022, but through a variety of circumstances failed to find a ride for the 2023 IndyCar season.
When he finally got the call for this season, it was with Chip Ganassi Racing, one of the biggest teams on the grid.
Having some of the most complete sets of resources available, and some of the most skilled drivers to pull information from, CGR is one of the best places for a talented rookie to get himself up to speed.
MotorsportWeek.com asked the Swedish rookie if he has had access to everything he has needed as he embarks on his full-time IndyCar career.
“Everything that I could ever need and more, I’ll tell you that much,” said Lundqvist. “The team has been so, so good. The boys and girls over at the shop, they’ve been putting in a tremendous amount of work as well.
“Obviously, going to a five car operation is big deal. I know there’s been long hours, a lot of overtime to make this happen. Proud to say that we’re rolling out with five competitive cars.
“It’s been great as a rookie coming into this team to have people like Scott Dixon and Alex Palou to lean on. They are the living recipes of success, so to look at their data, how they operate, why they work, what they ask from their cars, et cetera. It’s invaluable.”
Last season, while hanging around the paddock looking for a ride, Lundqvist was called in for three races as a substitute for the injured Simon Pagenaud.
He said at the time that his debut in Nashville was the perfect opportunity to improve his chances of finding a permanent ride by showing the paddock what he can do.
At that race last August, he placed his Meyer Shank Racing car in the top half of the field for the bulk of the afternoon, and a single mistake late in the race resulted in him touching the barriers on the tricky street course.
Chip Ganassi later said that Lundqvist’s performance that weekend was the moment he realized he needed to hire the 24-year-old, and Lundqvist was proud to have convinced the famous team owner that he was worthy of a seat in one of his cars.
“Chip’s words are proof that it was [just what I needed to do],” said Lundqvist, smiling. “Obviously, I realized that going into Nashville and the other races I did. ‘This is my one chance to show what I’ve got.’
“Apparently it was good enough, because here we are racing with Chip Ganassi Racing. I’m extremely proud of that, but also know there is a tremendous amount of work ahead of us.
“Now you’re going up to a big team, the expectations are high. We’re here to fight for podiums and try to fight for race wins.”
Lundqvist’s first race with CGR in St. Petersburg did not go as planned, as he suffered a crunched rear wing after Romain Grosjean made an non-committal move up the inside.
But with 17 races remaining, including a non-points paying round from the Thermal Club this weekend, he has plenty of time left to show his skills.
