The IndyCar offseason is underway and fortunately, we didn’t have to wait too long for one of the bigger pieces of the drivers market for 2025 to fall into place with news that ex-McLaren driver Alexander Rossi has a new home and it’s one that could give him a very good shot to claim an elusive second Indianapolis 500 win.

On Wednesday, Ed Carpenter Racing announced that Rossi will join the team full-time and compete alongside Cristian Rasmussen, who drove a partial schedule for the team this past season and will be moving into a full-time seat.

“I’m honored that Ed (Carpenter) and the entire ECR ownership group recognize the value I can bring to the team,” said Rossi in a team statement. “Their commitment to excellence, along with the power of Chevrolet and the ambitious plans they have for the future made this opportunity impossible to pass up. I’m eager to get started and contribute to the team’s continued success.”

Rossi will drive the team’s No. 20 Chevrolet, while Rasmussen will be the wheelman for the No. 21, which was recently vacated by Rinus VeeKay.

Rossi’s move comes after two seasons at Arrow McLaren that just weren’t as fruitful as both sides surely hoped when they got together. Oh well, that’s how things work out sometimes. 

While Rossi is stepping into a role with a smaller team — one where he will be the defacto lead driver over the less-experienced Rasmussen — might be a good fit, especially after a stint at McLaren where Pato O’Ward was kind of the top dog.

But what might be the most appealing part, is that this is a team that tends to outperform on ovals, specifically when it comes to the Indianapolis 500.

VeeKay usually qualified in the Fast 12 during his time with the team, and team owner, Ed Carpenter, is usually at the top end of the leaderboard when he hops in a car too.

Of the smaller 2-3 car operations, Ed Carpenter Racing routinely shows up at IMS with cars more than a lot of the competition.

So, you throw a previous Indy 500 winner a routinely solid machine, and I think that while that doesn’t make Rossi one of the favorites to win next May, it certainly makes him someone to keep an eye on.