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Ed Carpenter Racing signs VeeKay for 2020 IndyCar season

Indy Lights runner-up Rinus VeeKay has been confirmed as driver of the #21 Ed Carpenter Racing-Chevrolet for the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series season.

Watch: Rinus VeeKay Interview on 2020 IndyCar Series

The 19-year-old Dutchman racked up six wins and seven pole positions this year in Indy Lights driving for Juncos Racing, and impressed Ed Carpenter Racing in his initial IndyCar tests at both Portland International Raceway and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

He replaces Spencer Pigot who, after three-and-a-half seasons with the ECR team, was let go last week.

VeeKay, the 2018 Pro Mazda (now Indy Pro 2000) champion and 2019 F3 Asian Winter Series champion declared: “I’m so happy! It’s a dream come true and something we have worked extremely hard for over the last couple of years. To step up from USF2000 to the NTT IndyCar Series in three years is really special.

“I would like to thank Ed Carpenter and his partners for this great opportunity and trust. The number of available seats in the NTT IndyCar Series is very limited, so it’s a great honor that they have chosen me to join their team. I would like to thank Jumbo, La Place, KNAF TeamNL, my new partner Basic-Fit, all my other partners, my manager Charles Crews, but most of all my family who made this all happen. I’m really looking forward to the start of the season.”

Carpenter, who will continue to race on ovals in the #20 car, but whose road/street course partner has not yet been officially identified, stated: “I have been following Rinus’s path through the Road to Indy, especially the past two years. It was clear to me that he deserves to be in an IndyCar. After his first day [in an IndyCar] at Portland this past season, that feeling became even more apparent. His pace, feedback and demeanor inside the car was very impressive for such a young driver.”

Carpenter told Motorsport.com: “I think Rinus is a lot further ahead than most young guys are when they graduate to the series and that’s a real positive. He’s very fast, he gives good feedback. We were very impressed. I think he’s going to be very good.”

Regarding Pigot, Carpenter told Motorsport.com: “It was tough with Spencer because obviously we’d been together for three-and-a-half seasons, and we like him and care about him, but sometimes you have to make decisions like that.”

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