It’s a cold and succinct statement* from Chip Ganassi Racing that IndyCar Series driver Sir Scott Dixon is leaving the team. Almost like the announcement of a marriage separation with two celebrities going their own separate ways having fallen out of love after 24 years!
Twenty-four seasons in one team is quite remarkable for any driver and that is why it is puzzling that Dixon still wants to compete in the IndyCar Series, now confirmed to be moving to Arrow McLaren.
At 45 years of age and with a growing family, he has nothing left to prove. He’s won the Series six times, drunk the victory milk at the Indianapolis 500 and made 367 consecutive IndyCar starts. It’s hard to see the positives on moving to another team, even with a distant association with fellow Kiwi the late Bruce McLaren.
If Dixon retired today, he leaves a legacy of the longest stay with one team alongside his IndyCar accomplishments. Moving to another team may just confuse that, not too dissimilar to Michael Schumacher’s return to Formula One and the Mercedes F1 Team having retired with his Ferrari legacy several years prior.
Dixon must either still have the fire in his belly or may not know when to stop and what life will be after racing. Obviously, he’s not happy, and neither will be his current teammate Kyffin Simpson. From 11 starts this season, Dixon has no race wins and only three top five results. Simpson has just the one (top five). Meanwhile, their third teammate Alex Palou currently leads the series with eight top five placings of which four are race victories.
Maybe Dixon wants to hit the target of 400 consecutive race starts which will take two more seasons. Maybe, life for him is turning up each season to race in the greatest American single seater category. Kudos to him and his family for his legacy so far. Maybe there is another Indy 500 win and Arrow McLaren is team that will achieve this with him.
*Chip Ganassi Racing released the following statement saying:
Scott Dixon has recently informed the team that he will not be returning in 2027. Scott has meant so much to CGR over the past 24 years. Together we’ve shared championships, many victories, and countless moments that have helped define this organization. Because of everything we’ve accomplished together, and the legacy Scott has built here, we believed it was important to give him the opportunity to finish his career at Chip Ganassi Racing, and we made him a multi-year offer to do just that. We respect that he’s chosen a different path and wish him nothing but continued success. Scott will always be a special part of this team’s history, and we’re grateful for everything we’ve accomplished together.
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