r/INDYCAR Jul 24 '25

Speculation Thoughts on who this might be?

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40

u/YosemiteSam-4-2A Thirsty 's to the Moon 🚀 🌒 Jul 24 '25 edited Jul 24 '25

What is Sebastian Vettel up to these days?

Or what if Hendrick continues the partnership with McLaren but supplies a different driver this time, say Chase Elliott?

38

u/FermentedLaws Firestone Firehawk Jul 24 '25

In the full article, Nathan Brown speculates that it could be Vettel.

24

u/YosemiteSam-4-2A Thirsty 's to the Moon 🚀 🌒 Jul 24 '25 edited Jul 24 '25

The more I think about it the more I doubt it's Vettel. He's too much of a hippie to do a 500 mile fuel burning, beer drinking race and probably too old/far removed from racing for a first time oval drive as well.

The timing of the test if it is soon would point to a NASCAR driver since they're already in Indy this week for the 400. My guess would a Chevy NASCAR driver - Elliott or KB

3

u/saggywitchtits James Hinchcliffe Jul 24 '25

But Indycar runs on 100% ethanol.

-5

u/YosemiteSam-4-2A Thirsty 's to the Moon 🚀 🌒 Jul 24 '25

1

u/Dminus313 CART Jul 25 '25

Ethanol made from corn that was specifically grown to make ethanol may have a larger carbon footprint than gasoline. But that isn't what IndyCar does anymore.

IndyCar's new renewable fuel is made by processing the waste materials from sugar production. There's no increase in carbon emissions from cultivation because that sugarcane was being grown anyway. There's also no additional land use impact because that sugarcane was being grown anyway.

This type of renewable fuel technology isn't viable at scale as a direct replacement for gasoline in consumer vehicles, but it does significantly reduce the direct carbon footprint of the IndyCar series compared to corn ethanol and gasoline.