Andretti Autosport
The cast: Drivers – Marco Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Carlos Munoz. Chief engineers – Nathan O’Rourke (Andretti), Ray Gosselin (Hunter-Reay), Garrett Mothersead (Munoz)
Twitter: @MarcoAndretti, @RyanHunterReay, @CarlosMunoz034, @FollowAndretti
The cars: Nos. 26 (Munoz), 27 (Andretti), 28 (Hunter-Reay) Honda
Snapshot: Simona de Silvestro will drive the No. 25 Andretti Autosport Honda in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 29, and the team is working on extended the deal to other races. … Andretti used No. 25 last season, and Munoz’s car was No. 34. … No. 27 has been associated with the team since 1995, when Jacques Villeneuve drove the No. 27 entry for Team Green to the PPG Indy Car World Series championship. Kim Green and Michael Andretti formed the forerunner of the current team in 2001. … Hunter-Reay and his wife, Beccy, welcomed their second son into the world March 5. … Andretti turned 28 on March 13; Munoz turned 23 on Jan. 2. He is the youngest full-season Verizon IndyCar Series driver.
The stats: Hunter-Reay placed sixth in the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series standings; he’s been in the top seven each of the past five years and won the title in 2012. His three victories in 2014, which included the Indianapolis 500, tied for most in the field. Overall, had six podium and nine top-10 finishes. … Led seven races for total of 195 laps to crack 1,000 laps led in his career. … Munoz earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award for placing eighth in the standings with three podium finishes and five in the top five overall. … Andretti placed ninth in the 2014 standings. He started the season by qualifying in the top 10 in the first three races and recorded two top-10 finishes, including his season high of second at Barber Motorsports Park. Overall, he posted nine top-10 finishes and led four races.
The gist: Hunter-Reay enters his sixth season with Andretti Autosport. He signed a three-year extension in July. DHL also extended its sponsorship package of the No. 28 car. … Andretti has made 151 consecutive Verizon IndyCar Series starts (third among active drivers). The third-generation Indy car driver has competed each season for the championship-winning team owned by his father. … O’Rourke was chief engineer for James Hinchcliffe (departed from Schmidt Peterson Motorsports) last season.
They said it: “With Ryan, it’s always nice to know you have a three-year deal and you don’t have to negotiate contracts and such and you just can focus on racing,” Michael Andretti said. “I know as a driver it was a great thing and as an owner it’s great not to have all those distractions. Continuity is a great thing in racing and Marco and Carlos as sitting there champing at winning the Borg-Warner Trophy as well and I think they have a good shot.”
Added Munoz: “We have to go race by race, do the best we can. It's going to be a completely new year with the new aero kit. Going to be an interesting year for sure. I’m not a rookie anymore. I’m looking forward to start the season.”
Said Marco Andretti: “In an ideal world, we're racing our teammates and a couple other guys (for victories). I’m ready to go racing. We're really excited to start to see the pace on different circuits, whoever comes out on top.”
Added Hunter-Reay: “I think we're always developing the car mechanically. When you get the new aero kit, it's like having a new toy. You're immersed in that. If you can get the mechanical bits sorted out, have a toolbox of various options you can pick from, that's the point there.”