Linus Lindqvist returns to Meyer Shank Racing for Indy’s second road course race of season

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — IndyCar driver Linus Lundqvist will replace the injured Simon Pagenaud in Saturday’s Indy Grand Prix, Meyer Shank Racing announced Tuesday.

Lundqvist will again be driving the No. 60 Honda as a teammate of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves.

Lundqvist was among the 12 fastest in qualifying for his series debut last weekend at Nashville but was knocked out of the race by an early crash.

Pagenaud suffered concussion-like symptoms after a brake failure sent his car barrel-rolling in a scary crash at Mid-Ohio in early July. He has not yet been cleared by series officials to return. The French driver won the 2016 IndyCar title and the 500 in 2019.

“The Nashville weekend was great in so many ways. Obviously, a lot of impressions and a lot of new stuff for me going on that weekend and I was pretty disappointed with the way that it ended,” Lundqvist said in a statement released by the team. “It was my mistake and I enjoyed it up until that point. I think it also left me and the team wanting more, which I am grateful for another opportunity at Indy.”

The Swede has made four road-course starts on Indy’s NXT circuit this season, winning three poles and two races — both from the pole. He won the series title in 2022.

Saturday’s 85-lap race will be the series’ second on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course this year and comes on the same weekend Xfinity and NASCAR drivers also compete on the track’s road course. Qualifying for the Indy GP will be held Friday.

“The IMS road course is a place that has been very good for MSR, so I am looking forward to getting back to one of my favorite places,” Castroneves said. “I think we learned a lot from the last race there in May, so that should help us this weekend. I’m ready to go.”