Dale Coyne is working to expand its partnership with HMD Motorsports and have a third car on the IndyCar Series grid by 2023. Team already has David Malukas and Takuma Sato
Dale Coyne is considering expanding its partnership with HMD Motorsports and bringing a third car to the IndyCar Series grid in 2023. The two parties started business in 2022 to put American David Malukas on the grid, and are studying the possibility of an additional car.
HMD is a traditional Indy Lights team, and is even the team of the current season's leader, Swede Linus Lundqvist. After Malukas' runner-up finish in 2021, it joined forces with Dale Coyne, a team of Indy tradition, which was looking for new alliances after the breakup with Vasser-Sullivan.
"If we can get the people, yes. The problem now is getting people, and I want them here before I commit to another car. But we're thinking about all that now," commented owner Dale Coyne in an interview with Racer magazine.
In addition to the car with HMD, Dale Coyne also has a partnership with Rick Ware Racing to line up Japan's Takuma Sato on the grid. Despite being 45 years old, the two-time Indy 500 winner is expected to remain with the team in 2023.
"I think we will continue with Takuma. He is fit, he has proven himself, he is competitive. We haven't got the result we want yet, but he was fast every day of practice lvires in Indianapolis, qualified on the front row in Detroit and Texas. He's working well, so I think that's motivated him to do this for more than a year," Coyne continued.
For the 2022 season, Sato is 18th in the championship with 133 points, followed by Malukas in 19th with 123. Indy returns on July 3 with the Mid-Ohio GP.