Hideki Mutoh has confirmed his long anticipated switch to Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing for this year's IndyCar Series.
The 27-year-old Japanese driver spent the first two years of his IndyCar career with Andretti Green. Mutoh finished 10th in the championship and took rookie of the year honors, plus a podium finish at Iowa in 2008, but was only 11th in the 2009 standings and lost his seat to Ryan Hunter-Reay at the end of the year. He subsequently tested for Newman/Haas/Lanigan over the winter and confirmed his deal with the team this weekend ahead of the preseason test at Barber Motorsports Park on Wednesday and Thursday next week.
Mutoh could be Newman/Haas/Lanigan's sole driver this season. There had originally been hints of a three-car team with the Japanese driver, Graham Rahal and Alex Lloyd, but Rahal's contract with the squad has now expired and he is hunting for sponsorship to stay in IndyCar.