Michael Andretti's IndyCar exit is unexpectedly helping Andretti Global progress, says IndyCar insider

Former IndyCar driver and team owner Michael Andretti stepped down from the leadership role at Andretti Global before the start of the 2025 season. IndyCar insider and motorsport reporter Marshall Pruett was questioned about Michael's exit from the team, as a fans (via the RACER Mailbag) suggested that IndyCar needs the 62-year-old back at Andretti.

Michael Andretti, the founder of Andretti Global (after buying a part of Team Green), stepped away from the leadership role of the team as Dan Towriss took over. Since Michael’s exit, Andretti Global was included under the TWG Motorsports umbrella, the same parent umbrella that Cadillac F1 is a part of.

In a recent RACER Mailbag article, where Marshall Pruett answers the fans' questions, a fan suggested that Michael Andretti was good for IndyCar and that Andretti Global needs him in the leadership. The fan detailed how Michael was always on the grid, giving interviews, but questioned the presence of Dan Towriss.

2024 Portland E-Prix - Shakedown & Practice - Source: Getty

The fan also suggested that Andretti Global without Michael is like Chip Ganassi Racing without Chip and Team Penske without Roger Penske. Marshall Pruett responded as below:

“Towriss is there, but he’s not Michael. There is Mario, however. The IndyCar team is in a better place without him. Wish that wasn’t the case, but all the people I know who I’ve asked say the change was for the better and the results supports the notion.”

Andretti Global had been the only team in the 2025 IndyCar season to win a race apart from Chip Ganassi Racing. Team Penske has struggled since the start of the season, with neither of their drivers being higher than P5 in the championship.

Alex Palou has won all the races since the start of the season but two, which were won by Andretti Global star Kyle Kirkwood. Andretti driver Marcus Ericsson finished P2 at this year's Indy 500, before his entry was penalized post-race.

Dan Towriss reveals the conversations that led to Michael Andretti's decision to part ways with the team

Andretti Global's application to enter F1 was rejected by the Formula One Management. Dan Towriss came out and detailed the conversation that led to Michael's exit from the team. Towriss suggested that Andretti was content within the team and hence made the decision to leave. Towriss told Indianapolis Star newspaper (via Next-Gen Auto):

“As someone on the inside, the (F1) pressure was intense. There were some very difficult meetings with F1 and other things happening outside, and when you put these other motorsports series together, it's a big operation, and so I think it kinda brought us to that place. It just got very political,”

Since then, Michael Andretti has been spotted at a couple of IndyCar races, first at the season opener in St. Petersburg and then at the 109th running of the Indy 500, where his son Marco competed as a one-off entry.