Juri Vips has offered an replace concerning a possibility to return to the grid of the IndyCar Sequence in a fourth entry for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL).
The Estonian contested two races on the finish of 2023 in RLL’s #30 Honda, which started the 12 months with Jack Harvey earlier than Conor Daly made a one-off outing at Gateway.
Vips certified and completed 18th on his debut outing at Portland Worldwide Raceway then, at Laguna Seca within the season finale, delivered a formidable qualifying efficiency of thirteenth earlier than being collected in a gap lap incident that led to a Twenty fourth-place end.
Though Vips didn’t safe the trip for 2024 with RLL because the group opted for Haas F1 reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi to get the full-time nod, he was stored on in a reserve position.
Juri Vips, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
Picture by: Gavin Baker / Motorsport Images
Requested if there was any reality to rumours a return could possibly be on the horizon, Vips informed NBC Sports activities: “Yeah, I imply, we’re engaged on it.
“There’s positively intention from the group to do it, and we now have the spare engine from the fourth automotive as effectively that (Takuma) Sato raced within the (Indianapolis) 500. So, it’s simply placing all of the items collectively to make it work, however we’re attempting to make it occur.”
Vips shared that the majority of his time with RLL has been spent serving to within the simulator.
“Plenty of what we did over the winter was to assist develop the automotive for the five hundred,” Vips mentioned. “Plenty of the opposite drivers did the sim as effectively, however I used to be doing many of the work there to assist them after which, aside from that, I’ve simply been travelling to the races and form of maintaining with what the group do with the developments themselves.”
Need to run an oval race
And will Vips get a possibility within the remaining 9 races, all of which is able to embody a change to IndyCar’s hybrid unit, Vips expressed a want to get on one of many three ovals, with double-headers set at Iowa Speedway and the Milwaukee Mile.
“I’m hopeful to get on the grid subsequent 12 months, so I’ll select an oval however simply to study,” Vips mentioned.
“Outcomes-wise, it’s what it’s, however I’d study loads as a result of I’ve by no means executed it. I don’t know truly which one it’s going to be, so yeah. We’re nonetheless figuring it out, however I’d in all probability want an oval, however something, I’m very, very pleased with.”