Bobby Rahal believes Graham Rahal holds “a lot of runway” in his IndyCar future

Graham Rahal’s father, Bobby Rahal, has stepped in to defend his son amid the recent wave of criticism aimed at the veteran driver. The 1986 Indy 500 winner stressed his belief that his son still has a lot to offer despite his age and recent form.

The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver has recently come under intense scrutiny, particularly due to the dip in form he has experienced in recent seasons. The 36-year-old, despite being one of the IndyCar Series’ longest-serving drivers, is without a race win since the 2017 Detroit Grand Prix — a stat that has further fuelled criticism surrounding his longevity in the sport.

However, amid the barrage of scrutiny Graham Rahal continues to receive, his father Bobby has offered his backing. The 72-year-old, in a recent interview, stressed that the six-time IndyCar race winner still has a lot to offer the series. Bobby said (via Dive Bomb Motorsports):

“Heck, I retired at 45. Somebody told me Takuma [Sato] is 48 or 49 now. It’s really up to Graham, but there’s still a lot of runway out there. Regardless of that, we’re going to make sure that we have a team that’s capable of winning races.”

Graham Rahal is currently in his 18th season of racing in IndyCar, and has seen success become few and far between over the years. Particularly since the conclusion of the 2021 campaign, the veteran driver has struggled to mount a significant challenge for the IndyCar championship.

Nonetheless, with the open-wheel series heading to his native Ohio, the Rahals will hope the luck of racing at home translates into a much-needed change in fortune.

Graham Rahal slams his critics ahead of the Indy Ohio 200 Grand Prix

Graham Rahal also weighed in on the recent criticism he has continued to receive from IndyCar fans. The veteran driver detailed his frustrations with the criticism using a few expletives while addressing the media.

The RLL Racing driver, who continues his quest for his first race victory since the 2017 Detroit Grand Prix, spoke to the media ahead of his race in his native Ohio. Faced with the question about his thoughts on the barrage of scrutiny his recent performances have attracted, Rahal — who appeared far from pleased — wasted little time venting his frustration. He said:

“I’m sick and tired of hearing: ‘He can’t drive. He’s only there because of his dad.’ All this bulls**t. It gets old because the reality is the performance — in qualifying in particular — speaks for itself.”

“The negativity spread — the social media BS — that everybody has got to deal with today wasn’t a thing of the past. Certainly, you live under a magnifying glass a lot more,” he stated.

Graham Rahal, who debuted as an 18-year-old in the IndyCar Series, has seen his career trajectory veer off from the early promise many saw in him when he burst onto the scene in 2008. Graham Rahal has only managed to add five race wins to his tally in the 18 years since his first win at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix.