Whereas Andretti has at all times been thought to be a risk throughout the Month of Could, it has been a decade since he was in a correct battle for victory for the Indy 500.
Though he gained pole for the 2020 version of the Indy 500, the final of his 4 podiums got here in 2014.
It has been particularly difficult since turning into an Indy-only entry the final three years, with no end greater than seventeenth.
“I knew the final three years we weren’t gonna play, so I used to be a little bit bit deflated,” mentioned Andretti, who claimed rookie honors within the 2006 Indy 500 with a runner-up end.
Nonetheless, this 12 months brings confidence for Andretti, who will begin nineteenth – a grid place that has gained the Indy 500 twice earlier than (1954, Invoice Vukovich; 2014, Ryan Hunter-Reay) – in is nineteenth begin on Sunday within the No. 98 Andretti Herta with Marco & Curb-Agajanian Honda.
“This 12 months, the automobile appears to speed up,” mentioned Andretti, who completed tenth in Monday’s post-qualifying observe at 225.205mph. “It appears to have velocity once we attempt to go quick.”
When pressed on having a correct automobile to struggle with, Andretti said, “I feel so, yeah. I am cautiously optimistic.”
Marco Andretti, Andretti Herta w/ Marco & Curb-Agajanian Honda
Photograph by: Geoffrey M. Miller / Motorsport Pictures
A few of that angle may be attributed to the addition of race engineer Craig Hampson, who labored with Alexander Rossi at Arrow McLaren final season.
Hampson was with Andretti International from late 2013-16 earlier than becoming a member of Dale Coyne Racing from 2017-19, which included a reunion with Sebastien Bourdais. He beforehand guided Bourdais to 4 consecutive Champ Automobile titles throughout his time at Newman/Haas Racing.
“It is humorous, we do not also have a ton of debate as a result of we now have a lot expertise between the 2 of us,” Andretti mentioned.
“So, we type of simply sit there; I will learn the factor and be like, ‘Yep’ after which if we try this, ‘Yep’. We’re on the identical web page.”
Andretti made it clear that Hampson was his needed man.
“I’ve really pushed to get him again before we obtained him again, however the higher-ups within the workforce missed that contract,” mentioned Andretti, who’s the grandson of 1969 Indy 500 winner Mario.
“It actually made me offended once I was driving as a result of it was like, ‘How will we miss getting him again?’ However we obtained him.”
Ryan Hunter-Reay, DRR-CUSICK MOTORSPORTS Chevrolet, with Robert Wickens, Andretti International
Photograph by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Pictures
Andretti additionally credited Hampson for bringing on Robert Wickens, who was additionally previously with Arrow McLaren in a coaching-type position whereas additionally racing – and successful the 2023 title – in IMSA’s TCR class of the Pilot Problem.
“He is extraordinarily, extraordinarily important,” Andretti mentioned. “He is so good at studying information and discovering, mainly extracting essentially the most out of each little element that we want as a result of that is what this has come right down to.
“It is monitor place, nevertheless it’s more durable and more durable to cross as a result of all people’s so good. The tire is so good; there’s not quite a lot of fall off. So, all of these minute particulars are what it comes right down to.
“And since they add up over 500 miles, all these tenths of a second, then it is a second, then it is two seconds, after which two seconds is quite a lot of distance. So, you need to put all of these collectively.”
There may be additionally a aggressive hearth that Wickens carries in contrast to anybody else within the paddock.
“I agree,” Andretti mentioned. “He does.
“He works so laborious and I feel he, hopefully the others study by instance as a result of he is the final one to go away the storage. We’re on the cellphone until 9:30 at night time and that is what it takes, man.
“That is what it takes.”
