Juri Vips to return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan at Portland

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Juri Vips will return to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for a third IndyCar Series start at the Grand Prix of Portland that will give the team four Honda entries for the Aug. 25 race.

The Estonian driver, who turns 24 on Sunday, will join Graham Rahal, Pietro Fittipaldi and Christian Lundgaard for the 110-lap, 216-mile race on the oval at Portland International Raceway. Vips started and finished 18th there last year in his IndyCar debut and followed with a 24th-place run at Leguna Seca following a multi-car wreck. He started 13th at the California track following a six-grid penalty for an unapproved engine change.

Vips tested for RLL in October 2022 at Sebring (Florida) International Raceway and in March 2023 at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. He has also performed simulator testing for the team since 2023.

“I have been working closely with the team…and it has been a year since I have been in the car, but I’m confident that the experience gained last year at Portland and Laguna Seca will help me to get up to speed quickly. It will still be a very big challenge and one I am very much looking forward to,” Vips said in a release.

RLL co-owner Bobby Rahal said Wednesday that Vips has shown he has the pace to feature in any race for the team. Rahal added that Vips’ simulator work has helped the team understand the new hybrid engine system and is hopeful this reward to race will lead to more starts.