Colton Herta will race for the IndyCar championship in 2021 in a rebranded look from Andretti Autosport.

Herta, 20, will drive the No. 26 Honda with sponsorship from Gainbridge. He’ll now not be a part of the Harding Steinbrenner Racing extension of the Andretti crew. Though Herta was beneath the Andretti banner in 2020, his IndyCar entry his first two seasons was truly co-owned by Mike Harding and George Steinbrenner IV.

Herta mentioned the Tuesday announcement was “bittersweet” as a result of he is labored with Steinbrenner for a number of years. Steinbrenner, the 24-year-old grandson of the late New York Yankees proprietor, first partnered with Herta on an Indy Lights crew, then helped transfer Herta to IndyCar in 2019 by forming a partnership with Indianapolis businessman Mike Harding.

Steinbrenner and Herta on the time had been the youngest proprietor and driver pairing in IndyCar, and Herta grew to become the youngest winner in sequence historical past when he gained at Circuit of The Americas as a rookie per week shy of his nineteenth birthday.

“I would not have gotten to IndyCar if it wasn’t for George and for positive I would not have been capable of keep in IndyCar if it wasn’t for Mike and the backing he offered,” Herta informed The Related Press.

Andretti Autosport’s relationship with the Harding-Steinbrenner program in 2021 has but to be decided, and the crew remains to be engaged on driver offers with Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti and James Hinchcliffe. Andretti Autosport goals to be a five-car program once more in 2021, however solely Herta and Alexander Rossi had been signed as of Tuesday.

Herta will retain virtually his complete crew from the No. 88 crew. Nathan O’Rourke will stay Herta’s engineer and Brian Barnhart will nonetheless be his strategist.

Herta returns to the No. 26, the quantity he first used when he began his karting profession as an homage to his father. Bryan Herta raced the No. 26 in sports activities automobiles on the finish of his driving profession.

The No. 26 for the final three seasons was raced by Zach Veach at Andretti with Gainbridge sponsorship, however Veach stepped out of the automotive with three races remaining in 2020 to permit Andretti to plan for a brand new driver.

Gainbridge, a monetary providers digital platform that can be the presenting sponsor of the Indianapolis 500, wished Herta as its driver. Herta has three wins in two full-time seasons and completed third within the IndyCar standings in 2020 forward of all his Andretti teammates.

“Colton has rapidly proven that expertise and drive produce profitable outcomes,” mentioned Dan Towriss, CEO and president of Group1001 and the Gainbridge model. “Profitable calls for consistency and the arrogance and consistency demonstrated by Colton makes him an important match.”

Herta mentioned his two major targets for 2021 are enhancing his efficiency within the Indianapolis 500 — he was eighth final season — and racing for the IndyCar title.

“For me to get a top-three end at Indy would set the tone and it is vital for me to have displaying at Indy. We need to win it,” Herta mentioned. “And clearly the objective for the championship is to win it and to compete for extra wins and extra podiums. If we try this, the championship will come.”

Michael Andretti believes Herta, who turns 21 three weeks after subsequent season’s opening race, is able to race for a title.

“Colton’s profession has been on a gentle rise,” Andretti mentioned. “We’re assured that he’ll proceed to develop and advance, and we’ll see the No. 26 in victory lane quickly.”