INDIANAPOLIS — IMSA star Tom Blomqvist is switching gears as the Meyer Shank Racing Acura driver will become a full-time NTT IndyCar Series driver in 2024.
Four-time Indianapolis 500 winning driver Helio Castroneves was also announced as a minority partner of the racing operation.
The team made the announcement Friday morning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, site of this weekend’s IndyCar/NASCAR Race Weekend. MSR will expand its IndyCar program starting with the 2024 season, signing a promising young talent and making a new addition to the ownership group.
The team has signed Blomqvist — who won the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as well as the 2022 and 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona with MSR — to a multi-year agreement to pilot the team’s first of two full-season entries starting in 2024.
Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will remain with the team for the 2024 season and beyond as the affable fan favorite takes on a new role with MSR. He will only race the Indy 500 next season.
Castroneves will join the Meyer Shank Racing ownership group as a minority partner. After winning a record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 victory with MSR in 2021, Castroneves will continue his “Drive for 5” with the Ohio-based team in 2024 and will enter the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 as the third entry for MSR.
“We are thrilled to bring Tom (Blomqvist) over to our IndyCar program full-time starting next year, and to be able to keep Helio as a key part of our program moving forward and go for a fifth Indianapolis 500 victory next year,” said Mike Shank. “I feel like all the planets aligned for us to be able to do this, so I’m really grateful for us to be making this next step as a team.
“Helio brings so much to what we do overall as a team, both in terms of our competition package and all of his experience, as well as how he’s able to engage with our partners. So having him transition to this role is really exciting for everyone involved.”
The move from IMSA to IndyCar marks a return to open-wheel competition for Blomqvist, who first forged his name in European competition with outstanding campaigns in Formula Renault and the highly competitive Formula 3 championships.
His career then saw him move to DTM ahead of making his Formula E debut in 2017. Most recently, Blomqvist’s accolades include an LMP2 second place finish in the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans on his way to taking a runner-up result in the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship.
In addition to Blomqvist’s role with MSR in major wins at IMSA’s 24 Hours At Daytona and Motul Petit Le Mans, he has also been an integral part in the team’s development of the all-new Acura LMDh Prototype hybrid in 2023.
The British racer ran an astounding single-lap effort to deliver Acura the first-ever IMSA GTP class pole at Daytona, and added to the tally of success with a victory alongside Colin Braun last month at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Blomqvist made his IndyCar debut filling in for the recovering Simon Pagenaud in Toronto, but his race unfortunately came to an early end after he was taken out in a first-turn, first-lap accident that put him out of the race.
“Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to Mike and Jim and all the partners — AutoNation, SiriusXM, Arctic Wolf, Clopay and Cleveland-Cliffs — for believing in me and giving me this opportunity,” Blomqvist said. “It’s been a good ride the last two years in IMSA, but I’ve been itching to make the step up to IndyCar and this is an opportunity I’m eager and motivated to make the most of.
“IndyCar is an incredibly competitive series and I’m under no illusions in how difficult this championship can be, but I am extremely motivated to make the most of this exciting new challenge.”
Meyer Shank Racing has placed great value in Castroneves’ abilities on and off the track.
The four-time Indianapolis 500 winner will stay onboard with Meyer Shank Racing full-time, serving as driver mentor, team ambassador and partner of MSR’s growing list of sponsors which include AutoNation, SiriusXM, Arctic Wolf, Clopay and Cleveland-Cliffs. The Meyer Shank Racing ownership group now includes Mike Shank, Jim Meyer, Liberty Media,and now Castroneves.
“First I want to thank Mike, Jim and Liberty for accepting me as part of the ownership group,” said Castroneves. “Throughout my career I’ve been very fortunate to surround myself with an amazing group of people and this journey will be my next chapter and I can’t wait for that.
“Don’t get me wrong, I still have a lot of fuel to burn inside in terms of driving and I will do that at the Indy 500 as I continue my pursuit of the Drive for Five.”
Meyer Shank Racing is still finalizing plans for it’s second full-season entry in 2024 and will announce soon.