Felix Rosenqvist is enjoying a strong start to the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, currently sitting fourth in the standings as he heads into Sunday’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst. This promising early-season form matches his career-best performances from 2019 and 2024, but both Rosenqvist and his team, Meyer Shank Racing (MSR), believe they are better prepared to sustain a title challenge this year.
Key Improvements Fueling Optimism
Several key factors contribute to the optimism surrounding Rosenqvist and MSR’s 2025 campaign. The team has made significant strides in the entrant points standings, climbing from 25th in 2023 to 12th in Rosenqvist’s first season driving the No. 60 MSR Honda entry.
“Last year we had a lot of DNF’s, which were mainly technical issues, to be honest,” Rosenqvist said. “I think last year we probably belonged in the top eight. This year, it feels like we’re a little bit better.”
Shift in Technical Alliance and Focus on Race Pace
A crucial change for MSR this season is the shift in their technical alliance from Andretti Global to Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR). Rosenqvist noted that while Andretti Global focused more on outright qualifying speed during their partnership, CGR prioritizes setups that promote strong race pace.
This shift appears to be transformative for Rosenqvist, as evidenced by his early consistency and strong race results in 2025. “It’s a trend of the year,” Rosenqvist said. “I think last year we had really good qualifying results, and we tended to move rearwards in the races. And this year we’ve been really good in the races.”
The statistics support this notion, with Rosenqvist finishing behind his starting position in 13 out of 17 points-paying races last season. In contrast, he has gained or finished even in two of the three races so far this year.
Blending Qualifying Speed with Race Pace
If MSR can successfully combine Ganassi’s race pace insights with Rosenqvist’s proven speed in qualifying, the team may have discovered the formula for sustained success throughout the season.
“I think there’s still stuff to do better,” Rosenqvist said. “We had a little hiccup in Long Beach and gave something away, I think, essentially a podium. But it’s a good day, and I feel like we’re here every race.”
Key Personnel Changes
Another essential aspect of MSR’s improvement equation is the addition of CGR personnel working with the team due to the new alliance. One notable example is Ross Bunnell, who has taken on the role of Rosenqvist’s engineer this season after serving as Scott Dixon’s engineer on the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda since 2023.
During his time with Dixon, Bunnell contributed to five wins across two seasons. Rosenqvist praised Bunnell’s impact, stating, “Ross (Bunnell) has done a phenomenal job. He’s a really good engineer, and he brings a lot of knowledge. He’s taught me a lot of new things this year, even in my seventh year. I feel like we’re hungry and we’re definitely getting better and better.”
Conclusion
As Felix Rosenqvist and Meyer Shank Racing head into Sunday’s race at Barber Motorsports Park, they do so with a renewed sense of optimism and a belief in their ability to sustain a title challenge throughout the 2025 season. The combination of a focus on race pace, a strategic technical alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing, and the addition of key personnel like Ross Bunnell has the team poised for success.
With Rosenqvist’s early-season consistency and the team’s continuous improvement, they appear well-equipped to build upon their strong start and maintain their position among the top contenders in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
