Michael Andretti extends deal with Bryan Herta

Herta joined forces with his former teammate Andretti last off-season, specifically to help run the #98 Andretti Autosport entry of Alexander Rossi under the banner of Andretti-Herta Autosport. Together, they won the 100^th Indianapolis 500 in May, and finished 11^th in this year’s Verizon IndyCar Series championship.

“We’re happy to have Bryan back with the team for 2017,” said Michael Andretti. “His team fits well into our family and we are excited to see continued growth and success with the partnership.

“Bryan is a long-time friend and a true asset to our organization. We are eager to see what next season has in store.”

Herta’s strategic calls for Rossi to save fuel in that Indy 500 are seen as crucial to the victory, as Rossi obeyed them to the letter and crawled through the final stages of the last stint, whereas teammate Carlos Munoz opted for a late splash-n-dash and came up four seconds short of the win.

“I am super-thrilled to continue our partnership with Andretti Autosport,” said Bryan Herta. “We have a lot of exciting plans for the team throughout the off-season that I know can only make us more competitive for the 2017 season.

“Last year came together quite late, but this year we’ve committed early and that can only help better prepare us for next season.

“On a personal note, I would like to thank Michael and JF Thormann and the entire Andretti Autosport organization for welcoming our team into the family. I am 100 percent committed to helping the entire team in every way possible in order to see Andretti Autosport in Winner’s Circle many times next year.”