By Steve Wittich

With the off-season testing getting underway and the 2021 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires season-opening race weekend just over 100 days away, HMD Motorsports and Global Racing Group are announcing a partnership to enter four cars on the top rung of the Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires.

The partnership will include a pair of entries from HMD Motorsports and a two-car effort known as Global Racing Group with HMD Motorsports. All four cars will be run out of HMD Motorsports’ Brownsburg, Ind. shop.

“Working together will bring an unparalleled operation to the Road to Indy program in 2021 and beyond,” explained Henry Malukas, Owner of HMD Motorsports. “I met with Christian on several occasions through the season and our programs are very well aligned with one another. We have similar goals and interests and with our new relationship, have a direct line from FR Americas to Indy Lights.”

HMD Motorsports (HMD) operated a two-car Indy Lights program in 2019, ending their inaugural season with one win and nine podiums. Before the 2020 Indy Lights season’s cancellation, the team was prepared to run a three-car effort, with David Malukas, Santi Urrutia, and Antonio Serravalle.

Instead, the team switched focus to the 2020 Formula Regional Americas Championship where David Malukas won a pair of races and stood on the podium 15 times on the way to a second-place championship finish.

Global Racing Group enters the partnership after winning the last two Formula Regional Americas Championships – Dakota Dickerson in 2019 and Linus Lundqvist in 2020 – and drove to victory lane in 28 of the previous 33 races in the FIA Formula 3 regional series.

“Expanding our program into Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires has been on the drawing board for a while, and via discussions with Henry throughout 2020 it has been clear that the synergies we can unleash together will bring benefits to both teams, our drivers, the Indy Lights series and to motorsport in the U.S. in general,” expressed Global Racing Group’s Christian Pedersen. “We both set the bar high in terms of expectations for performance, results, appearance and continued development of opportunities for drivers. That’s what the partnership is based on.”

“We are very excited to welcome Global Racing Group to the Indy Lights paddock in 2021,” explained Dan Andersen of Andersen Promotions. “Their partnership with HMD Motorsports brings two of the most professional and powerful teams together in one program with a reach for driver potential throughout North America and in Europe. HMD Motorsports has been a consistent front-runner in the Road to Indy, especially at the Indy Lights level, while Global Racing Group has been the dominant program in other open wheel series. While both entities have been successful on the track, their knack for business off the track will elevate them to the forefront of the Road to Indy for a very long time.”

The team will be testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway this week and will have further driver and partner announcements shortly.