The most coveted seat remaining in Silly Season was claimed today by Pietro Fittipaldi. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced that the 27-year-old will drive the No. 30 Honda full-time beginning next season. Pietro is the grandson of two-time Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi, and current reserve and test driver for Haas F1 Team in Formula One. He ran six races with Dale Coyne Racing in 2018 with a best finish of 9th at Portland. In 2021 he made three more starts, qualifying 13th for the Indianapolis 500 with Coyne and Rick Ware Racing.

It seemed as though Juri Vips had the inside track for this seat, but he could still be in the frame at RLL. Team owner Bobby Rahal stated that the team picked up the option on Vips, and hopes to field a fourth car for him next year if funding can be secured. He also noted that talks are ongoing with his son Graham about a contract extension. Christian Lundgaard remains the top driver at RLL, as the organization continues to add talent across the board. The full press release from today is below.

[Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Press Release]

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that current Haas F1 Team reserve and test driver, Pietro Fittipaldi, who is also a multiple open-wheel champion and race-winning world endurance championship driver, will drive the No. 30 entry for his first full season of NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition in 2024. Fittipaldi, the Brazilian-American grandson of 1989 INDYCAR champion and two-time Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi, returns to the series after having made nine starts in 2018 and 2021 for Dale Coyne Racing. Details on the sponsorship for the entry will be announced at a later date.

Fittipaldi, 27, made six starts in the INDYCAR SERIES in 2018 — three on oval tracks and three on road courses — with his best start being 10th in Phoenix and best finish of 9th coming at Portland. He had planned to compete in more races, but his program was curtailed midseason after breaking both legs in an accident in the World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in May of that year. In 2021, he split the season in the No. 51 Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware entry with Romain Grosjean, running three of the four oval races. His best qualifying effort came in his Indianapolis 500 debut of 13th place, which earned him the “Fastest Rookie Award” and his best finish was 15th in Race 2 at Texas Motor Speedway.

“I am extremely proud and honored to join Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing,” Fittipaldi said. “With the experience I’ve gained over the last few years in F1 and other racing series, I am looking forward to the challenge of racing in INDYCAR, one of the most competitive and versatile racing series in the world. I want to thank Mr. Rahal, Mr. Lanigan, and Mr. Letterman for the opportunity and their trust and confidence in me. I can’t wait to get started.”

“I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to have Pietro join RLL as the driver of the No. 30 car,” said team co-owner Bobby Rahal. “He has had previous experience in INDYCAR in doing partial seasons with Dale Coyne Racing and impressively qualifying 13th at Indianapolis in 2021. I got to meet him then and since that time he has worked hard to become the reserve driver for Haas F1’s team. And from our discussions, I have been impressed with the maturity and experience that he will now bring to our program. I look forward to seeing what he can do over a full season of INDYCAR competition in 2024.”

“We are proud and excited to welcome Pietro to our team,” stated team co-owner Mike Lanigan. “The Fittipaldi family name has always been associated with winning and competitiveness in our sport. The legacy lives on with Pietro and we welcome the challenges in keeping the tradition alive.”

The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opens Sunday, March 10 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the 20th Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. North America’s premier open-wheel series will crisscross the United States, including a stop for the 108th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26, before culminating in Nashville for the championship finale Sunday, Sept. 15. All on-track action can be seen on NBC or NBC’s Peacock Premium streaming service or USA Network. For more information about the series or team, visit http://www.indycar.com and http://www.rahal.com.