Former IndyCar driver Linus Lundqvist makes a comeback… in Eurocup-3

Big loser from the arrival of franchises in IndyCarFollowing the setbacks that forced Chip Ganassi Racing to reduce its lineup from four to three cars, Linus Lundqvist continues to search for ways to return to the North American championship, as early as 2027. For a racing driver, however, what matters most is being able to compete on the track. Therefore, to satisfy this need for driving time, the Swede will be present this weekend at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet (Var) for the opening round of the Eurocup-3.

The presence of the 27-year-old driver is still somewhat unusual in a field of young guns, since Eurocup-3 is positioned at the Regional Formula level in the pyramid of promotional formulas, between F4 and the F3Lundqvist, who participated in the Indianapolis 500 in 2024 before winning the Rookie of the Year title and achieving several podium finishes, will clearly drop down the rankings when he takes the wheel of his car from Double R Racing (team founded by Kimi Räikkönen and his engineer Steve Robertson) this weekend.

A recognized talent in the United States, Linus Lundqvist is paying the price for his lack of funding, money obviously remaining the lifeblood of motorsport. He had moved to the US where local junior series offer prize money to the champion at the end of each season. Champion after only two seasons in Indy Lights, Lundqvist was only able to secure a prize of $500,000 (€427,500), as the championship was still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic (the 2026 champion will receive over a million dollars). It took a stroke of luck to... simon pagenaudInjured at Mid-Ohio, Lundqvist was given the opportunity to enter IndyCar and immediately impressed in his role as a replacement driver. This was enough, in any case, for Chip Ganassi Racing to agree to sign him for the full 2024 season, in a car largely financed by the team's sponsors.

When the introduction of franchises forced the team to switch to three cars, the Swede unfortunately couldn't compete with the multiple titles of Scott Dixon and Álex Palou, nor with the significant financial backing provided by Kyffin Simpson. Still present in the IndyCar paddocks since then, Lundqvist hasn't raced since the 2024 championship finale in Nashville, and this start to the Eurocup-3 season could allow him to stay sharp and rediscover the competitive edge that has likely never left him. Having set the fastest time in the collective tests at Monza last March, he could even be challenging at the front this weekend. Such a performance would be practically mandatory given his track record.

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