Rosenqvist, MSR Ascend in INDYCAR Championship Battle
Team Confidence Fuels Driver’s Rise
Felix Rosenqvist and Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) are finding success in the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, fueled by growing confidence. Their performance has them positioned favorably, signaling their transformation from a team building to one contending for wins.
A determined second-place finish at the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America on June 22, saw Rosenqvist also record the fastest lap. This result boosted him to fourth in the championship standings from sixth.
Rosenqvist is now 155 points behind the leader, Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, with eight races left. This is the highest the driver has ranked this far into an INDYCAR season, demonstrating MSR’s progress.
“I feel like we’ve definitely taken it to the next step,”
—Felix Rosenqvist
Overcoming Challenges
Few predicted this kind of upward trajectory for Rosenqvist entering the 2024 season. He joined MSR after two seasons with Chip Ganassi Racing (2019-20) and three with Arrow McLaren (2021-23). MSR’s No. 60 Honda finished 25th in the entrant standings in 2023.
Both Rosenqvist and MSR have achieved one career victory, with Rosenqvist winning at Road America in 2020 and MSR winning the 2021 Indianapolis 500.
MSR’s No. 60, driven by Rosenqvist, jumped to 12th in points following their first season together in 2024, a leap unmatched by any other car. Positive results continued this season with six top-10 finishes in the first nine races.
“There’s some really smart people on the team,”
—Felix Rosenqvist
Mid-Season Resilience
Rosenqvist’s Road America podium followed a challenging period. He finished 21st at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on June 1, a race marred by a crash that required a complete rebuild of the car. Then, a 16th-place finish at World Wide Technology Raceway capped a difficult six weeks of racing, including the Sonsio Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500.
After experiencing a mid-year slump that derailed a promising campaign last season, MSR appears to have turned a corner. In a season dominated by Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Global, MSR’s move into the top five is a compelling development. The average cost to rebuild an IndyCar after a crash can exceed $500,000 (Source 2024).
Looking Ahead
MSR and Rosenqvist have proven they can compete with the best. Their next step is winning, which Rosenqvist believes is achievable.
“We’re always quick, so it’s all about the details,”
—Felix Rosenqvist
Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presents an opportunity. The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course holds special significance for Rosenqvist, where he secured his first podium in 2019.
Mid-Ohio is also the home track for MSR, headquartered nearby. Rosenqvist looks forward to returning. “I literally love that place. A lot of fans come there, the track layout, it’s just a really cool race. True race car fans.”
