"It's a shame": Bobby Rahal breaks his silence on $40M worth Michael Andretti's abrupt IndyCar exit

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing owner Bobby Rahal has commented on Michael Andretti's IndyCar exit ahead of the 2025 season. Andretti, who built a personal empire of $40 million (via celebrity net worth) from his racing genius, abruptly stepped down from his role as CEO of Andretti Global in September 2024.

He handed over the ownership of his namesake organization to co-owner and Group 1001 CEO Dan Towriss while retaining an ambassadorial and advisory role. In 2025, for the first time in three decades, Michael Andretti won't be directly involved in IndyCar. If 1993, the year he took a break from CART (now IndyCar) for F1, is disregarded, that figure would change to four decades.

Bobby Rahal, who has shared a healthy rivalry with Andretti as a driver and team owner, recently commented on the end of this era in IndyCar.

"I think it's a shame. I don't know what all happened there, but Michael's been so involved in this series for so many years, both as a driver and an owner. To be frank, I think it's a loss for the series to not have Michael in the paddock. I mean he is a dynamic guy, had a very successful time in the series with Honda or Chevy, brought up a lot of great racing drivers - Dario (Franchitti, 4-time IndyCar champ) and others. It's going to be very strange to not see him in the paddock. I think that's a loss for IndyCar," Bobby Rahal said on the Pit Pass Indy podcast.

Andretti cited the need to dedicate more time to his family and other business ventures as the reason for stepping down. He also wrote a lengthy heartfelt letter to thank his fans for their contribution to his life and racing career.

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When Bobby Rahal's son Graham paid tribute to Michael Andretti with a surprising revelation

AUTO: APR 01 NTT INDYCAR Series PPG 375 - Source: Getty

The Rahal versus Andretti rivalry was born when Bobby Rahal battled both Michael Andretti and his 4-time IndyCar champion father, Mario Andretti between 1982 and 1998. Incidentally, the three times Rahal won the CART championship, Michael finished runner-up. Such was their competition.

In 2017, Bobby's son, Graham shared an anecdote from his childhood. He revealed how his father had a picture of him dueling with Michael in the gym to fuel his workouts. He said (via IndyCar):

"When I was a kid, in my dad’s workout room there was a picture of him and Michael Andretti dueling it out at Detroit. He always told me that was his greatest motivation. That’s all he needed in the gym to get his blood flowing, just to remember who they’re out there trying to beat. "

"It speaks very highly of the Andrettis, too. They were always great competitors and won a lot of races."

The family rivalry continues as Graham Rahal and Michael's son, Marco, battle it out at the Indy 500 every year. For 2025 too, Marco Andretti has locked in his seat at the "Greatest Spectacle of Racing" and a potential showdown with Graham Rahal awaits.