Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced Thursday that 5-hour ENERGY, which was previously announced as a full-season associate sponsor of the No. 30 entry for Pietro Fittipaldi for the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season, will be the primary sponsor of the entry for the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 26 and the Detroit Grand Prix on June 2.
This will be the brand's debut as a primary sponsor in open-wheel racing.
Fittipaldi served as the Haas Formula 1 team’s reserve and test driver the past five seasons and is also a multiple open-wheel champion and race-winning world endurance championship driver. The Brazilian-American is the grandson of 1989 IndyCar champion and two-time Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipald and will drive the No. 30 entry for his first full IndyCar season in 2024.
“I’m very excited to have 5-hour ENERGY as my primary sponsor for the legendary Indy 500 and for their home race, the Detroit Grand Prix,” Fittipaldi said. “The 5-hour ENERGY Honda is one of the best-looking race cars I have ever driven and looks extremely fast. I’m looking forward to chasing great results on track with them all season and especially at the iconic Indy 500 and their home race in Motor City.”
Fittipaldi, 27, made six starts in IndyCar in 2018 – three on oval tracks and three on road courses – but his program was curtailed midseason after breaking both legs in an accident at the World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps that May. In 2021, he split the IndyCar season in Dale Coyne Racing’s No. 51 with Romain Grosjean, running three of the four oval races.
The 2024 IndyCar season opens March 10 with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Florida.