Juri Vips has been retained by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Regardless of shedding out on the third full-time RLL NTT IndyCar Sequence seat that went to Pietro Fittipaldi, crew co-owner Bobby Rahal says the Estonian will consider this system’s future, which may embrace outings in a fourth Honda-powered RLL entry.

“We see Juri as a long-term play,” Rahal stated. “We’d prefer to run a fourth automotive. We’re not making as a lot progress on that as we want, however that’s actually a hope. And perhaps it’s solely a choose variety of races. Possibly it’s just one, perhaps it’s none, we’re not fairly positive. However one factor we did know is we wished to maintain Juri in our household.”

Vips was spectacular throughout his two-race outing with RLL to shut the 2023 season, as he offered a right away problem to Christian Lundgaard and Graham Rahal with the No. 30 Honda.

On the championship finale at Laguna Seca, the 23-year-old was fourth general through the Thursday take a look at and  two spots behind Lundgaard in his first-ever go to to the monitor, led the crew in Friday’s opening observe, was second among the many RLL drivers in qualifying, and bought an awesome begin that lasted two corners earlier than he was taken out in an opening-lap crash that included Rahal.

After repairs had been made, Vips returned to the race, and regardless of ending 24 laps all the way down to eventual winner Scott Dixon, his efforts allowed RLL to safe the ultimate Leaders Circle contract value $915,000 for the No. 30 entry he’ll race in 2024.

Vips’ alternative to stay with RLL may see him aiding in hybrid testing for the crew, and whereas he doesn’t have a calendar of races to stay up for in the meanwhile, Rahal has been actively trying to find IMSA groups within the LMP2 class that may have an curiosity.

“I’ve to say that he did the whole lot that we requested him to do,” Rahal stated. “I feel he confirmed that he actually is succesful operating up entrance in an IndyCar race. He’s younger man. I’ve gotten to know Juri since he’s been with us and that’s why we wished to ensure we stored him. As a result of we do need to run a fourth automotive if in any respect doable, however within the meantime, if we might help him get one thing once we’re not busy with him, why not?

“I launched him to some of the P2 guys at Highway Atlanta, simply doing what we will to assist him. However clearly, we need to hold him as a result of he’s a really, superb racecar driver, and he’ll nonetheless carry out work for us. Once you take a look at the brand new class with the hybrid, Juri, Christian and Pietro have loads of time in simulators and what have you ever, studying, understanding this new world, and I feel that’s going to actually assist us rise up to hurry as a crew that rather more far more shortly, simply because now we have that sort of earlier expertise. I feel we bought 4 chargers that may assist take this crew ahead.”