Hinch is back – full time.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES fan favorite James Hinchcliffe will drive the No. 29 Honda for Andretti Autosport during the entire 2021 season.
Toronto native Hinchcliffe becomes the fourth full-season driver in the Andretti Autosport 2021 lineup, joining already announced Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), Alexander Rossi (No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS / AutoNation Honda) and Ryan Hunter-Reay (No. 28 DHL Honda). Additionally, veteran Marco Andretti will join the team for the 105th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 30.
Hinchcliffe will be sponsored by Genesys for 10 races throughout the 2021 season, including the Indianapolis 500. Remaining partnerships for Hinchcliffe’s 2021 season will be announced in the coming weeks.
“This program is something we’ve been working on since the day we signed our three-race deal with Andretti Autosport last March,” Hinchcliffe said. “Being back full time has always been the goal, and it feels so great to know that I will be back on the grid and with such an amazing team, one I’ve had a lot of great memories and success with.
“So many people at Genesys worked hard to get this done, and I am looking forward to representing them this year. Everyone at Honda, Don and Tom from Spire Sports, Michael, JF, Doug and the whole Andretti group, and everyone that has worked so hard to make this all come together. Even though it’s been a long road, the real work starts now, and I can’t wait to get to the track and kick off 2021.”
The 2021 season will be Hinchcliffe’s 11th year competing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and his fifth in the Andretti Autosport stable. He was one of the four Andretti Autosport drivers to land in the Fast Nine Shootout last August during qualifying for the 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500, with no preseason testing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re really excited to have Hinch back in the car for 2021 and thrilled to welcome Genesys again to the Andretti family, this year in an expanded role,” Andretti Autosport chairman & CEO Michael Andretti said. “This is just the first step in many exciting things for the No. 29, and we know Genesys will be a great partner serving as the cornerstone to the season for James.”
Genesys, a global leader in cloud customer experience and contact center solutions, served as Hinchcliffe’s sponsor at three of INDYCAR’s marquee events in the 2020 season. The company boasts a major employee presence in Indianapolis with more than 50 offices worldwide.
“We’re building upon our tremendous partnership with James Hinchcliffe and Andretti Autosport. The success we have seen together goes beyond the deep connection Genesys has with the Indianapolis community,” said Tony Bates, CEO of Genesys. “James and the entire Andretti team are leaders on the track because they’re empowered with the right technology and data so they can make informed decisions at the right moment. That’s at the heart of every winning customer experience, too, and what’s driving our momentum at Genesys.”
The 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES gets underway Sunday, April 18 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. The race will be televised live on NBC.