Yahoo Autos Rahal signs multi-year extension with Rahal Letterman Lanigan
Graham Rahal has agreed to a multi-year extension with the family’s Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team he joined in 2013. The 34-year-old Ohioan will embark on his 18th season in IndyCar, having started in 2007 with Newman/Haas Racing in the former Champ Car series while in his teens.
“I’m extremely excited to get a new multi-year agreement in place and hopefully continue to build and improve the team,” Rahal said. “At the end of the season, we saw some glimpses of what we can and should be. Obviously, there is a lot of work still to be done to ensure that we continue to grow and get ourselves in a place for continuous success but I’m excited about the signs that I saw.
“I’m also excited to continue working with the tremendous partners that we have. It was important to me to continue to represent them and hopefully do a great job for them as we go forward. I’m glad that we were able to come together with Mike [Lanigan], my dad, David [Letterman] and everyone at the organization to continue together.”
With his burgeoning second career as a businessman, Rahal is expected to curtail his driving duties at some point in the near future and, along with tending to those various business interests, take a greater role in shaping RLL’s future from the inside.
“I have worked with Graham for the last 18 years, first as a 17-year-old in the Atlantic Series and many years as an IndyCar driver,” Lanigan said. “Watching him grow and excel not only in racing, but also off the track, has been very impressive. Signing him with RLL will certainly continue to enhance the team’s ability to succeed in the competitive world we race in. His experience and knowledge in all aspects of racing is one the team will take full advantage of.”
Rahal is coming off a 2023 season that offered more downs than ups. Disappointed with a championship run to 11th in 2022, last season saw another step backwards for his No. 15 Honda entry which fell to 15th in the standings.
Amid the hardships, which included a failure to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, RLL also made progress as the season built momentum as Rahal earned two pole positions and teammate Christian Lundgaard won his first race and finished an impressive eighth in the Drivers’ championship. Rahal and Lundgaard are joined by RLL newcomer Pietro Fittipaldi next year as the team seeks to move forward and fight among IndyCar’s title-contending teams.
