God works in mysterious ways. Heard that before? Well Linus Lundqvist is a true testament to this story. On Thursday, it was announced that he’ll join Chip Ganassi Racing in 2024. The Swedish driver is likely taking over the ride that another Swede is departing. One that’s finished sixth in the last two NTT INDYCAR SERIES championships and is once again sitting in sixth heading into the final two races of the 2023 season. The same ride that won the 2022 Indianapolis 500 and was runner-up a year later.

However, if he doesn’t chat with friend and fellow driver Sting Ray Robb at PitFit during an offseason training session last year, he may not be in this position that he’s in today making plans for join a championship contender a year from now.

Lundqvist mentioned to Sting Ray Robb that he may not be in the No. 51 Dallara-Honda for 2023 as everyone was expecting. So much so, Robb didn’t even have the seat with Dale Coyne Racing on his radar because most thought that it was a formality that Lundqvist, the reigning Indy NXT champion would be heading to the team that he won the 2022 title with.

Robb was focused on a few other rides.

Unfortunately for Lundqvist, yes he had scholarship money, but it wasn’t enough to land him that seat on a full season basis. Robb only learned of that fact while talking with Lundqvist during a workout.

“I assumed Linus was locked into the seat,” Robb admitted during the preseason INDYCAR content days this winter in Thermal. “Obviously he had a good year. With the HMD association, I just assumed that was a perfect shoe-in.

“But I actually was at PitFit Training one day with Linus and discovered that was not the case. That created an opportunity for us that allowed me to call up my manager, Peter Rossi, and get him on the phone, and he immediately called Dale and said, hey, we’re available.

“I think there was a mutual understanding of what availability was for either one of us. That’s when conversations began with testing options, et cetera, because at that point he had already committed to testing Marcus in the car and Daniel in the car at the Sebring test in the late off-season last year in 2022.

“Then we had a really good test in 2023 right at the beginning of January, and I think that was kind of the one that set the tone that allowed me to get in the seat.”

That in turn moved Lundqvist to the sidelines. Nothing in the works for the upcoming season.

Some may then say, well why not go back to Indy NXT if you’re Lundqvist and just win another title or at least stay in front of these teams. Robb says that unfortunately, you can’t. The risk is too large in doing so.

“Yeah, staying another year in Indy Next would have been a bigger risk than reward because there was a tire compound change that didn’t allow for any teams to have any data from the past,” he noted.

“Driving for Andretti last year I was able to lean on the data from past champions that they had run, as well as have past knowledge of where to brake, where to shift, all the stuff that we can go back and review and then over time find out what the best way is to grow in those areas, et cetera.

“With the new tire compound you don’t know who’s going to be the best team, who’s going to be the quickest. We saw at the Homestead test recently that the teams that were on top were not the teams that have been there in the past. They’re new. The Andretti guys were not the ones that were at the top. That’s not to say that they won’t figure it out, but it’s a risk that you take.

“Let’s say that I finish third or fourth in the championship rather than second or first. That lowers my stock value, so it creates an opportunity that’s not as welcoming for me to step into INDYCAR because I don’t have that high of a value after that.

“There’s been drivers in the past. To name one, I think is Santi Urrutia. He was a driver that did really well in his rookie season and from there he just didn’t win the championship, but the only place he could have gone was higher.

“So to not finish as well as he did or even finish the same, it doesn’t show that he’s got the ability to move up to the next level.”

So Lundqvist took the route of have helmet, will travel. He was looking. An opportunity came up when Simon Pagenaud had a violent practice crash at Mid-Ohio on July 1. With him out of his ride and later it was announced he’d miss the rest of the season, the three-race scholarship money could be put to good use.

MSR and Lundqvist worked out a deal. He’d appear in three races (Nashville, Indy Road Course, World Wide Technology Raceway). It was an audition that turned the heads over at Chip Ganassi Racing.

They knew they were likely losing Marcus Ericsson at seasons end and had an opening. Lundqvist was desperate and could command less money to race for a top team – ie Alex Palou circa 2020 into 2021.

Lundqvist shined in Nashville. He turned the quickest lap of the race in 2 of his 3 starts. Chip saw enough and knew the perfect driver to join his lineup in 2024 was right in front of his face.

On Thursday, Ganassi announced that they have signed Linus Lundqvist to a multi-year deal to take over one of the four cars for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.

Lundqvist is set to bring his championship credentials to Chip Ganassi Racing for his first full season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2024. 

“Joining Chip Ganassi Racing is an absolute dream come true for me,” said Lundqvist. “Stepping up to race full-time in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and to do so with one of the most successful teams in the history of the championship, is the moment I’ve been working for throughout my career. It is hard to explain how much this means to me. I am incredibly grateful to Chip, Mike and to everyone who has backed me on this journey, including of course my family.”

Ganassi likes winners and with Lundqvist winning last year’s Indy NXT title as well as what he did with Meyer Shank Racing this season, he found himself a good one.

“It’s terrific that the opportunity to hire Linus, a proven winner, plus the reigning 2022 INDY NXT Champion is now a reality at Chip Ganassi Racing,” said Chip Ganassi Racing Managing Director Mike Hull. “He has shown that his on-track performance creates the racecraft separation that’s required in INDYCAR today. Growing together with Linus is what comes next.”

Lundqvist dominated throughout the 2022 INDY NXT season, clinching the championship by a margin of 92 points after earning five wins, nine podiums and seven pole positions. He made his series debut in 2021, where he finished third in the points standings with three wins, 11 podiums and three pole positions.

Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, Lundqvist previously won the 2020 Formula Regional Americas Championship, the 2018 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship and the 2016 Formula STCC Nordic Championship. 

“I have dipped my toes into INDYCAR racing in recent weeks, which will give me a little bit of a head start going into 2024,” said Lundqvist. “Coming up through INDY NXT has provided me with some important experience that will help me get up to speed. Having said that, this is an entirely new challenge as I prepare to join an established top team at the highest level of the sport. I know there is a lot of hard work ahead, but having a team like Chip Ganassi Racing put their trust in me is the greatest motivator I could ever have. I intend to do everything in my power to grab this opportunity and I look forward to all the moments ahead, next year and beyond.”