Marco Andretti enters his 16th season of NTT IndyCar Series competition in 2020, searching for his first victory since 2011. The third-generation racer, son of Michael and grandson of Mario, started his 2020 IndyCar season off with a 14th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway.
2020 Team
No. 98 Andretti Herta Autosport with Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian (16th year)
2019 Record
Finished 16th in the NTT IndyCar Series standings. No wins, but five top-10 finishes and best result of sixth (twice, at Texas and the second race of the Belle Isle doubleheader).
Changes for 2020
There have been no changes for Marco Andretti in 2020; he remains with Andretti Autosport and Honda in the No. 98 entry.
Had pace but not our night. So good to be back though. pic.twitter.com/5onyx2qFsx
— Marco Andretti (@MarcoAndretti) June 7, 2020
Strengths in 2020
Despite being winless since 2011, Andretti takes care of his equipment. His only two DNFs in 2019 came via issues with electrical components and the car’s handling. Not since Portland in 2018 has he crashed out of a race—and that was the only time that year he failed to finish.
With newcomer Colton Herta and veterans Alexander Rossi and Ryan Hunter-Reay as allies, the spotlight will be off Marco, so that will be a benefit as well.
Challenges in 2020
Taking advantage of the Andretti and Dallara-backed No. 98 is paramount for Marco Andretti. He finished eight of 17 races in 2019 on the lead lap, so there’s room for improvement there, and Andretti’s opportunities to win will come more off of strategy than overall dominance; the Andretti group will be looking to Rossi for those types of performances.
Consistency is key for Andretti in 2020, and playing strategy and being in the right place at the right time will be his best opportunities to win races or score podiums.
2020 Prediction
Marco Andretti will likely continue to struggle in 2020 as he did in previous years. Wins might not be on the table for the No. 98 team, but managing races well, playing strategy and taking care of the Honda equipment will lead to some top-10s, even a few top-5’s, for Andretti.
The 2020 IndyCar season continues Saturday, July 4 with the GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will air at 12:15 p.m. ET on NBC.
About the author
Adam Cheek joined Frontstretch as a contributing writer in January 2019. A 2020 graduate of VCU, he covered sports there and later spent a year and a half as a sports host on 910 the Fan in Richmond, VA. He's freelanced for Richmond Magazine and the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and also hosts the "Adam Cheek's Sports Week" podcast. Adam has followed racing since the age of three, inheriting the passion from his grandfather, who raced in amateur events up and down the East Coast in the 1950s.
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