Munoz doesn't expect to return with Foyt in 2018

Carlos Munoz isn't sure where he'll be driving next year in the Verizon IndyCar Series, but he's confident it won't be with A.J. Foyt Racing.

The five-year veteran, who moved from Andretti Autosport to Foyt at the onset of 2017, held high hopes when he was signed to drive the legendary No. 14 entry as the team looked to overhaul its organization. Those expectations were rarely met, however, as disappointment blanketed the entire program from the beginning.

The sheer scale of the team taking on new drivers, new engineers, and making a switch from Honda to Chevy left the Colombian 16th in the standings, his teammate Conor Daly down in 18th, and resulted in former IndyCar champion and Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan being inked to pilot the No. 14 for the next two seasons. Foyt's intent to retain or release Daly is also unresolved.

With his open-wheel future less than certain, could the 25-year-old Munoz, who placed as high as eighth in the championship with Andretti Autosport, land at one of the few teams with available seats, or will the oval specialist likely appear in an Indy-only role in 2018?

Related Stories

"Right now, I'm looking at what's available, and there isn't a lot, but most teams want money, a lot of money, so my main goal is to be in the Indy 500 with a really good team so we can go win it," Munoz told RACER. "I think that's the more achievable thing. I don't see many chances to be full-time in IndyCar, and I don't think it will be with Foyt because they have taken a different direction."

Along with introducing Kanaan, the Foyt team also replaced former technical director Will Phillips, who engineered Munoz's entry, with Eric Cowdin. Considering Phillips' long layoff from race engineering and his driver's lack of reputation for chassis feedback, hindsight would suggest the pairing was never destined for success.

"It's been the worst year for my career, especially after a hard year where everything was new for everybody," Munoz added. "But it was a great opportunity for me, and there were some times, like Pocono, where I could race next to the Penskes and Andrettis. We didn't have the car to win, but we were fighting with them. Put me in a good car, and I can fight."

Considering the experience he's amassed at such a young age, and his remarkable car control, the timing of his split with the Foyt team with a new universal aero kit on the horizon is unfortunate. Like his countryman Juan Pablo Montoya and Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon, Munoz has the rare ability to make incredible speed with a car that's less than stable. It means that if he's given a chance outside of Indy, Munoz could be a perfect match for the lower downforce bodywork IndyCar teams will use on road and street courses.

"I'm still young, and next year, if I do well at the 500, I hope I can get more interest from teams because the new bodywork is something I think I can do really well with," he said. "My driving style would adapt really well to the new bodywork, with less downforce. We will see what happens for me, and if I can get back to IndyCar [full-time] in 2019, I think that would be the best situation I can make right now."

Outside of IndyCar, Munoz is also known to have received inquiries from multiple teams in IMSA's Prototype category.