Juri Vips will remain with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for the 2024 IndyCar season, although how many races he will run remains an open question.

Team co-owner Bobby Rahal confirmed the news on Monday, saying that RLL has exercised its option to keep Vips with the team next year after he finished 18th and 24th in his only two IndyCar races this past season.

The 23-year-old Estonian driver drove the team’s #30 entry for the final two rounds of the 2023 season, and there was speculation that he would be announced as driver of that entry for next year.

Pietro Fittipaldi was announced as the full season driver instead, but Vips may still compete in a few races as RLL still tries to put together all the pieces needed to field a fourth car.

That process is not coming along as quickly as Bobby Rahal would like, but he is still hopeful that he will be able to field the fourth car for a few races to get Vips more seat time next season.

“Yeah, we exercised our option with Juri,” confirmed Rahal. “As I said before I don’t know when it was, several months ago. We see Juri as a long-term play as well.

“We’d like to run a fourth car. We’re not making as much progress on that as we would like. That’s certainly a hope. Maybe it’s only a selected number of races, maybe one, maybe it’s none. We’re not quite sure.

“There’s one thing we did know, is we wanted to keep Juri in our family. He did a great job for us in Portland and fab job in Laguna. It’s a shame chaos caught him at the start.

“All in all, very impressed with Juri. We certainly wanted to keep him within our organization.

“Certainly we’re not going to rush right into a fourth car for the reasons you mentioned. You’ve got to be prepared to do that, to do it correctly, to do it so that fourth car actually contributes going forward.

“I think we certainly saw some improvements last year. Obviously our poor performance in Indianapolis still is by far outweighing every other thing we did last year. I think we’re making progress on it already.

“The first thing, you’re right, we’ve got three [cars], and we’ve got three strong drivers in those cars. The first goal is to have them consistently run up front. We do that before we do anything else.

“But I do like the drivers that we have in terms of the entire lineup with Juri, obviously with Pietro [Fittipaldi], Graham [Rahal] and Christian [Lundgaard]. I think that’s a pretty strong driver lineup.

“Ganassi is running five cars. Andretti has run four cars. So people are doing it. We just have to make sure we’re in the position to do it and do it well.”

RLL fielded four cars for the first time for the 2023 Indy 500, bringing in Katherine Legge to drive the #44 entry.

Rahal said at the time that his team would only expand to four cars if it made sense to do so, and was adamant that the additional car did not play into the team’s poor performance at the historic race.

Even if he does not get much seat time next year, Vips will be working with the team to help them get a leg up on the competition as the series races with hybrid components for the first time.

IndyCar has announced that three drivers will receive grid drops for the Sunday’s season finale race at Laguna Seca.

Each entry was in violation of the series’ engine use rule, which limits the number of engines that can be used over the course of the season.

Agustin Canapino was the first to receive the grid drop, with his Juncos Hollinger Racing team opting to fit a sixth engine before the race weekend got underway.

Juri Vips will also start lower than the qualified after RLL opted to change his Honda motor after Friday’s practice.

Following an engine failure in Saturday morning’s practice session that left his car smoking on the side of the track, Santino Ferrucci will also have to take a grid penalty for Sunday’s race.

All three drivers will start six positions further back than they qualified, with IndyCar’s standard engine use rules being applied in all cases.

After the penalties, Vips will line up from the 13th grid position, Ferrucci from 17th, and Canapino will line up 19th.

A few drivers will get a grid boost on account of the reordering, with Graham Rahal and Colton Herta benefitting the most.

Both drivers will jump past all three penalized men, and will start from 11th and 12th respectively despite qualifying 14th and 15th.

Engines are typically detuned by Honda and Chevy to help them last the required number of races before failure.

With each of the three penalized drivers only needing their power plant to last a single weekend, expect them to have a bit more pace than usual on the straights for Sunday’s race.

On Friday afternoon, 27 drivers from the NTT IndyCar Series took to Portland International Raceway for the opening practice session of the weekend.

Ideal track conditions greeted the field, and times were quicker than last year on account of the cool air and warm track.

Lapping the fastest was Christian Lundgaard, who lapped his #45 RLL Honda around the circuit in just 58.1776 seconds.

His fast time was set on the softer red-walled tire, as was every single driver. Those results seem to show that there is a real advantage to the alternate tire this weekend.

Kyle Kirkwood was the second fastest driver of the day, lapping 0.147 seconds slower than Lundgaard at the head of the field despite running the fewest laps of anyone.

The current points leader Alex Palou set the third fastest time, with Honda-powered entries filling all three of the top positions.

The practice run was interrupted a few times due to drivers needing assistance on the side of the 1.96-mile course.

The first red flag was brought out by Felix Rosenqvist running wide in the final corner and just barely touching the tire barriers.

Santino Ferrucci and Ryan Hunter-Reay each spun later on in the session, and also needed assistance from the AMR safety crew to get going again.

All three drivers were assessed a five-minute penalty that shortened the amount of time they had to dial in their setups.

A few other drivers were perilously close to getting into trouble themselves, as it seemed like a majority of the field struggled to get a handle on the Firestone tires.

Team Penske, on the other hand, did not look as strong as it did last year. Josef Newgarden was the fastest of the trio, and was only able to manage the 10th best time near the end of the session.

Scott McLaughlin finished in 16th, well off the pace of his race-winning performance last season. Will Power was just behind in 17th on the timesheets.

There were a handful of new drivers taking part in the session, including Juri Vips who completed his first-ever timed session in the American series.

Vips was 15th fastest in the #30 RLL entry, showing that even nearly a year away from competitive racing has not slowed him down very much.

Tom Blomqvist also made a return in the #60, but was the slowest driver of the day with a 59.8418 time his best of the afternoon.

The IMSA driver that recently landed a full time ride with MSR next season showed remarkable improvement throughout the weekend during his only other IndyCar start, so will look to repeat that feat over the next two days.

Drivers have one more practice session scheduled for 9:00 AM Pacific Time, followed by a knockout qualifying run that afternoon.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced on Monday that Juri Vips would be climbing behind the wheel of the #30 entry for the final two races of the IndyCar season.

The races will be the Estonian driver’s first in America, and will be the first time he has raced competitively in nearly a year. Although he has completed two test days with RLL during that time, the most recent being at Barber Motorsports park in March.

Vips advanced through the junior formulae in Europe, and drove for Hitech for two seasons in Formula 2, earning three race wins in that time.

He was also a part of the Red Bull Junior program, until he was quickly dropped following a highly-publicized use of a slur in an online gaming match.

The 23-year-old is looking to put that episode of his life behind him with the recent announcement, and is looking forward to trying his hand at IndyCar for the first time this upcoming weekend.

He will compete at Portland International Raceway this weekend and at Laguna Seca the following Sunday, and will also participate in an open test day held between those two events.

“I’m super happy to get the opportunity with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and very thankful to Bobby [Rahal], Mike [Lanigan] and everyone at the team,” said Vips. “I haven’t been driving all year so the anticipation for this opportunity has been immense but I’m really looking forward to starting again.

“We tested together at the end of 2022 in Sebring and it seemed like we just gelled. I got along with everyone and I really like the atmosphere at the team. Bobby’s also one to give second chances and I’m extremely grateful that he is giving me one and I really hope to bring a good result for him, Mike and the whole team.”

The #30 entry that Vips will be piloting was left vacant after RLL dropped Jack Harvey mid-season. Conor Daly filled in for the recent race at Gateway, and now Vips will get his shot.

The team is using these final races, and the open test a Laguna Seca before the event, to evaluate drivers for a potential 2024 race seat.

The fact that the team has chosen to run Vips for both of the final races lends weight to the possibility that he will be offered that vacancy, pending his performance in the next couple weekends.

RLL team owner Bobby Rahal was adamant that the young driver has learned from his mistakes, paid his dues, and is ready to rebuild his name via his on-track performance.

Vips will complete his first race weekend laps in IndyCar this Friday, with the opening practice session at Portland taking place at 3:00 PM Pacific Time.

A host of drivers were able to sample an IndyCar for the first time on Wednesday at a private test session held at Sebring Raceway.

Instead of the usual slate of current IndyCar drivers, the offseason test was populated with drivers that are only just getting to know the Dallara chassis for the first time.

Five drivers in total were on track over the course of the day, each with different motivations for taking part in the private test.

Driving a Meyer Shank Racing entry was Tom Blomqvist, who has been lighting up the scoreboards driving for the team in an IMSA DPi prototype and set the fastest lap of the day.

Blomqvist completed a lap of 52.708 seconds late in the afternoon, and was nearly a third of a second faster than the rest of the participants.

The 28-year-old is locked into sportscars for next season, but has shown interest in making a jump to IndyCar in the future if the opportunity presents itself.

Agustin Canapino was behind the wheel of the Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevy, preparing for a set of upcoming exhibition runs in his native Argentina.

The demonstration will take place next month in and around Buenos Aires, and will serve as a promotional event in team co-owner Ricardo Juncos’ home country.

Jake Dennis took to the track in an Andretti Autosport Honda, with the Formula E driver using his ties with the team to snag an opportunity to feel out the different discipline.

Rounding out the five participants were a pair of Formula 2 veterans Juri Vips and Marcus Armstrong.  The two drivers piloted entries from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Dale Coyne Racing respectively.

Vips completed the most laps on the day, lapping the short Sebring course 155 times in the all-day session.

There was some talk that Armstrong was interested in becoming the next young driver the jump from the European ladder over to IndyCar for next season, but that has not yet materialized.

None of the drivers that participated in the late-autumn test have any solid plans to take part in the series in the near future, but completing a day of running around IndyCar’s winter home is a good way to get a foot in the door.

Red Bull has clarified that it has retained Juri Vips as part of its junior team, despite cancelling his role as its Formula 1 test and reserve driver.

Last month, Vips used a racial slur while live streaming playing video games with fellow Red Bull junior Liam Lawson.

Red Bull suspended the Estonian driver, before it soon announced that he would no longer act as its test and reserve driver.

However, in a statement released on Wednesday, Red Bull says that Vips is still part of its junior academy, which has promoted a number of drivers to Formula 1 over the last number of years.

“Juri’s contract as Test & Reserve driver was cancelled by Oracle Red Bull Racing due to the comments he made,” the statement said. 

“He is retained by Red Bull as part of their Junior Driver programme. We are supporting him as he transitions away from his role with Oracle Red Bull Racing.

Vips made his F1 weekend debut appearance earlier this year at the Spanish Grand Prix, driving Sergio Perez’s car during the one-hour session.

He has previously tested Red Bull machinery, including at last season’s post-season test in Abu Dhabi.

Vips is currently competing full-time in Formula 2 Championship with Hitech Grand Prix, who took the decision not to part ways with him after his streaming incident.

With half of the 2022 F2 season complete, Vips currently sits seventh in the Drivers’ Championship, picking up three podium finishes so far this year.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says Red Bull has no shortage of talented junior drivers in its pool after it dropped Juri Vips as its test and reserve driver.

Prior to the British Grand Prix weekend, Red Bull distanced itself from Vips after the Estonian used a racial slur while live streaming.

Despite losing his Red Bull role, Vips is set to continue with the Red Bull junior team, and he has kept hold of his seat in Formula 2 with Hitech Grand Prix.

Red Bull’s junior academy is one of the most successful in motorsport, with seven current F1 drivers finding a seat in the pinnacle series through the programme.

The junior team currently has five drivers [including Vips] competing in Formula 2 and another three in Formula 3, leaving Horner unworried that the programme is in a difficult position.

“Obviously we’ve got quite a few youngsters and really promising youngsters that are out there at the moment,” he said 

“We have Liam Lawson, we have Dennis Hauger racing in Formula 2 as well as [Jeahan] Daruvala that remains as a junior driver, despite testing with another team [McLaren]. 

“Iwasa is showing great potential as well. And that’s just in Formula 2. 

“In Formula 3, it’s great to see Johnny Edgar back after illness, quite a nasty illness earlier in the year, giving him another chance. 

“Isack Hadjar is doing a super job as well. So we’ve got no shortage of talent coming through, all the way from karting through the different formulae. 

“And that’s always been a policy of Red Bull, to give youth a chance, to back youth, and give opportunities to some of these kids that otherwise wouldn’t have been able to progress their careers.”

Red Bull has promoted a host of junior drivers into F1 throughout its existence in the sport, however it remains unclear if a new driver will receive a race seat in 2022.

The front-running outfit has Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez locked down for 2023, while Pierre Gasly will remain with AlphaTauri next year.

However, his team-mate has not yet been confirmed, with the drive currently occupied by Yuki Tsunoda.

Hitech Grand Prix has confirmed that Jüri Vips will remain with the team for the remainder of the Formula 2 season, a decision that has been questioned by the championship itself.

Vips was sacked by Red Bull on Tuesday after making a racist remark while live-streaming a gaming session on Twitch last week.

On Wednesday Vips’ Hitech team confirmed that he will continue to represent the squad through the remainder of the current Formula 2 campaign.

“I have made the decision for Juri to keep his F2 seat with Hitech for the remainder of the season, a decision we have seriously debated,” said Hitech team boss Ollie Oakes.

“Allowing him to complete his season with Hitech is an opportunity for him to demonstrate, through his actions, the type of person he is.

“I have made it clear that I think the language used was totally unacceptable but I choose to give him the chance to redeem himself.

“Hitech GP employs an inclusive workforce and has never condoned racism or offensive behaviour in any forms. That said, if we live in a society where no one can make a mistake, then genuinely apologise, have the chance for redemption and learn from it – what does it say about society?

“I don’t know why he said what he said. I don’t know why he was playing and streaming C.O.D at that time of day. Certainly there are things that would have been far more beneficial for his career!

“What I do know is that having his contract terminated by Red Bull as a result of his actions is a crushing experience for him, a deservedly severe punishment. The reality is there will not be unanimous agreement whether that punishment is sufficient, and that is totally understandable.”

Oakes went on to stress that Vips “must now grasp every opportunity to do so. He needs to make lasting changes and not just short-term virtue-signalling comments.

“While this may not satisfy everyone I believe we all deserve a second chance in life, but never a third. Juri’s self-respect, his reputation and his career are now firmly in his hands.”

In a statement released to coincide with Hitech’s announcement Formula 2 queried the development.

“Following the recent incident involving Jüri Vips, F2 would like to reaffirm that the use of racist or discriminatory language cannot be tolerated in any environment,” read a statement provided by championship organisers.

“Hitech Grand Prix’s decision today is surprising and not one we would have taken. We will monitor the situation carefully with them to ensure that such behaviour is properly addressed.”

Red Bull Racing has suspended Jüri Vips while it investigates an incident involving the Estonian making an alleged racist slur.

Vips allegedly made a racist slur during a Twitch stream while gaming with fellow Red Bull junior Liam Lawson.

Vips is a member of Red Bull’s Junior Team, having joined prior to the 2019 season, and also holds the role of reserve driver for Red Bull’s Formula 1 team.

He tested its RB18 at the Spanish Grand Prix as part of the new-for-2022 regulations mandating the presence of young drivers during two practice sessions.

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening Red Bull Racing outlined that it has ‘suspended junior driver Jüri Vips from all team duties with immediate effect, pending a full investigation into the incident’.

‘As an organisation we condemn abuse of any kind and have a zero-tolerance policy to racist language or behaviour within our organisation.’

On his personal Instagram account Vips outlined that he “wishes to unreservedly apologise for the offensive language used during a live gaming stream earlier today.

“This language is entirely unacceptable and does not portray the values and principles that I hold. I deeply regret my actions and this is not the example I wish to set. I will cooperate with the investigation fully.”

The status of Vips’ Formula 2 season remains unclear.

He is currently due to compete at Silverstone next weekend and holds seventh in the standings.

Red Bull protégé Jüri Vips will make his Formula 1 practice debut at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Vips, 21, has been affiliated with Red Bull since late 2018 and has been its reserve driver since the closing stages of 2020.

He currently holds eighth place in the Formula 2 standings, having claimed pole for the most recent event at Imola, prior to spinning off in the race.

Vips’ presence during the opening one-hour practice session on Friday comes amid changed regulations for 2022 that mandates each team to run a young driver in two sessions.

Vips previously tested contemporary Red Bull machinery at the end of year tyre tests in 2020 and 2021 in Abu Dhabi.

The Estonian youngster will replace Sergio Perez for the session.

Vips’ Formula 1 duties will take place in conjunction with his Formula 2 commitments at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

He is set to be the third non-race driver to participate in FP1, with Nyck de Vries in action for Williams, and Robert Kubica due to drive for Alfa Romeo.