Andretti didn’t rule out adding an Indy car race or two later in the season and said he’s volunteered to help the Andretti Autosport team with testing if he’s needed.
He also has his eye on sports car racing.
“I want to do some sports car racing — maybe even get the chance to do IMSA events with my cousin Jarett, which would be a lot of fun for me,” he said. “I’ll be looking into other sports car opportunities as well in the coming months and welcome discussions in that regard. Marquee events like the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and Le Mans would be on that list, for sure.
“I am excited for what the future holds for me both on and off the track and, again, am grateful to dad and Andretti Autosport for allowing me the freedom to change things around as I’d like and to proceed forward a little differently this upcoming season.”
Mario Andretti has always been his grandson’s biggest supporter.
“I’m on his side. Whatever he wants to do, I support it,” Mario Andretti told SPEED SPORT. “I want the best for him as you can totally imagine. What he chose might work best for him. Let’s hope so. He has one shot at any race this year. He will do some other stuff, not IndyCar. Usually, the one-offs are not the winners.
“It would be nice if he could break the mold.”
Marco Andretti has five top-five finishes and eight top-10 results in 15 Indianapolis 500 starts.
“Marco has run well at Indy in the past. His record has been pretty damn good there, considering all,” Mario Andretti said. “Last year to be on pole was special. The job that he did to get on pole was real. It was real. The conditions were not the best and he beat the best on that day. It shows that he is capable. His talent is there to get it out when he needs it.”
This year’s four full-time Andretti Autosport drivers are Herta, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay and James Hinchcliffe. They are glad to have Marco Andretti as a fifth teammate at Indianapolis.
“Marco has been a huge part of this sport since 2006,” Hinchcliffe told SPEED SPORT. “It’s going to be weird not having him here full time or at the race weekends with us at Andretti Autosport. I’m happy for him and the next step. The Indy 500 is the big thing he still wants to accomplish. It’s a place he is still very competitive at. We look forward to getting to work alongside him, and happy to have this new challenge ahead of him.”
Hunter-Reay is the longest tenured Andretti Autosport driver.
“It’s strange, for sure,” Hunter-Reay said. “Marco and I have been teammates since 2010. I don’t think anyone else in the paddock have been teammates longer than that. Definitely, it will be strange. I will miss him at most of the races, but he will be back at Indy and who knows, maybe more than that in the future.”
With the exception of a few years during the CART-IRL split, an Andretti has competed in the Indianapolis 500 every year since Mario Andretti’s debut there in 1965.
“When you look back, what Indy has done for us as a family is amazing,” Mario Andretti said. “All of us were rookies of the year. There were four of us in the race in 1991. But all in all, we don’t have too many trophies. We have one among us. Look at the laps led between Michael and myself, we have nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I am very proud.
“I only got one win, but there were a couple of times when I was in command of the situation, more than once, but we were denied by mechanical failure.”
Will Marco be the last Andretti to compete in the Indianapolis 500?
“I hope not. Michael has his son, Mario, in there, he’s one of the twins,” Mario said of another grandson. “He’s already testing a go-kart. He is only 7 years old. I asked him what he likes better, the straightaways or the corners? He said, ‘Oh, I like the straightaways. It’s faster.’
“You never know. I hope I’m around long enough to see it.”
Marco Andretti continues to have his grandfather’s full support. The family will continue to rally around and support Marco again in the 105th Indianapolis 500.
Still, Marco Andretti’s decision to no longer compete as a full-time IndyCar driver has created an empty feeling for the family.
“It depresses me, no question,” Mario Andretti said.