Rahal nearing return to family team

In what must be the most protracted negotiations for the son of a team owner to sign a contract extension at a family-owned team where he’s driven for the last 11 seasons, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing co-owner Bobby Rahal says his son Graham Rahal is close to being confirmed for his 12th season and possibly more. He’ll have Christian Lundgaard and newcomer Pietro Fittipaldi as his teammates.

“We're OK; I think we have an agreement,” the RLL co-founder and 1986 Indy 500 winner told RACER. “Everybody's happy with that.”

With an ever-increasing amount of personal and business interests to look after, Graham Rahal’s new contract with RLL could be his last – at least in a full-time capacity – as the 34-year-old continues to craft the next chapters in his life. Having earned two pole positions across the last four races of 2023 and produced a season-best second at August’s Indianapolis road course race, Rahal’s father says his son’s competitive fire continues to burn bright, which makes staying in the No. 15 Honda an easy decision.

“When you look at the kind of year he had last year, as did Christian, that's the kind of competitive level that we all want,” said the elder Rahal. “And he wants that and we do too, just as Christian, and now Pietro want. So I think we've got a very good lineup of drivers for whatever the circuit may be; ovals or road courses or street courses, and I am excited about the new year.”