James Hinchcliffe

James Hinchcliffe was a former IndyCar driver who competed in the series from 2011 to 2021. Over the course of eleven seasons, the Canadian raced in 161 events, achieved 18 podium finishes, and won six races. Currently, he works as a commentator for both IndyCar and Formula 1 broadcasts.

Road to the IndyCar Series

Hinchcliffe made his motorsport debut in 2003 in the F2000 Series after winning the TKC Junior Rotax Class Karting Championship. He immediately impressed by finishing third in his rookie season. A year later, he earned the title of ‘Rookie of the Year’ in the American Formula BMW Series and, in 2005, finished third in the Star Mazda Series. This success secured him a seat with the renowned Forsythe Racing in the Champ Car Atlantics, where he managed one victory. Despite only scoring two wins across three years in the Atlantics, Hinchcliffe's consistency helped him secure fourth place in the championship standings in both 2007 and 2008.

After three years in the Atlantics, Hinchcliffe transitioned to the Firestone Indy Lights series. In 2010, he contended for the championship but narrowly missed out, finishing second in the standings. This performance, however, opened the door to the IndyCar Series in 2011, where he joined Newman/Haas Racing for his rookie season. He made an immediate impact, finishing fourth in only his second race.

Breakthrough with Andretti Autosport

Hinchcliffe’s successful debut season led to a move to Andretti Autosport in 2012. He had a strong start but struggled in the latter half of the year, ultimately finishing eighth in the standings. In 2013, he enjoyed a standout season, winning the first race of the year for his maiden IndyCar victory. He went on to claim two more wins that season but dropped in the standings after several DNFs, ending the year eighth overall. In 2014, he remained with Andretti Autosport but struggled to replicate his earlier success, finishing only twelfth in the championship with a third-place finish as his best result.

Switch to Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and a Life-Threatening Crash

After a disappointing 2014 season, Hinchcliffe left Andretti Autosport and joined Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for 2015. The season started well with a win at a rain-soaked NOLA Motorsports Park and a fastest lap on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway infield. However, disaster struck a day after qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. A suspension failure sent Hinchcliffe head-on into the wall at Turn 3, causing severe injuries as debris pierced the cockpit and his legs. Thanks to the quick response of the Holmatro Safety Team, his life was saved, but he missed the remainder of the season. Conor Daly and Ryan Briscoe substituted for him while he recovered.

Return to Racing with Pole at the Indy 500

Hinchcliffe made a remarkable recovery and returned to racing in 2016. He stunned fans by claiming pole position for the 100th Indianapolis 500, just a year after his near-fatal crash at the same venue. He finished seventh in the race and thirteenth in the championship, with a second-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway as his season highlight.

Victory in Long Beach

In 2017, Hinchcliffe completed his comeback by winning the Long Beach Grand Prix. However, apart from two third-place finishes, his results were lackluster, and he finished thirteenth in the standings again. The 2018 season was mixed: he failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 but redeemed himself with a win at Iowa Speedway.

Final Seasons and Departure from IndyCar

Hinchcliffe stayed with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in 2019 but was released at the end of the season following the team’s rebranding to Arrow McLaren SP and its switch from Honda to Chevrolet engines. In 2020, he returned to Andretti Autosport for a part-time schedule of six races.

In 2021, Hinchcliffe made a full-time return to Andretti Autosport. Despite having competitive equipment, it was a disappointing season, with a third-place finish in Nashville as his only top-ten result. Following this, Hinchcliffe announced his retirement from full-time IndyCar racing. He transitioned to a career in broadcasting as an IndyCar commentator for NBC Sports, later adding a role as a driver analyst for Formula 1 broadcasts.