If the word circling through the Verizon IndyCar Series paddock about one hour before Sunday’s Kohler Grand Prix proves to be true, then Andretti Autosport may be leaving Honda for Chevrolet beginning in 2018.

Autoweek was told by a rival Honda team owner that the rumor is Andretti Autosport returning to Chevrolet after a four-year absence. Michael Andretti was a longtime Honda team owner when he joined the old Indy Racing League full time in 2003 but switched to Chevrolet for 2012 and 2013. One of Andretti’s drivers, Ryan Hunter-Reay, won the 2012 Verizon IndyCar Series championship with a Chevrolet.

The team moved back to Honda in 2014 and Hunter-Reay won the 98th Indianapolis 500 that year. Andretti’s cars have also won the Indy 500 with Alexander Rossi in 2016 and Takuma Sato this past May.

None of the major players in this, however, will confirm or deny this is happening. Of course, it would be way too early to complete such a contract if the two sides are talking.

So how did this all get started?

“I have no idea,” Andretti told Autoweek. “It’s fun to talk about rumors and to start rumors. But I have no comment.”

Mark Kent is the director of GM Racing and stated the company line regarding such a move.

“We don’t talk about contractual issues,” Kent told Autoweek. “That is our policy at Chevrolet. Our lineup right now is pretty strong. Every year we explore our options and opportunities but at this point we have nothing to say about it.”

Art St. Cyr is the president of Honda Performance Development (HPD) and said the first news he heard about it is when Honda team owner Bobby Rahal told him Sunday morning at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

“It would be news to me,” St. Cyr told Autoweek. “I heard the rumor this morning and that is all I’ve heard. Our contracts have varying lengths depending on who we are contracted with. But I’m not going to talk to you about contracts. I’m sorry about that.

“It’s news to me. I’ve had no indication of any of that stuff. I’m pretty confident with all of our teams and if you look at who has won for Honda this year, all of our teams have been successful.”

St. Cyr believes Honda and Andretti have been a great fit.

“We won the last two Indy 500s and three of the last four so that’s a pretty big one there,” St. Cyr said. “Of course, it would be a disappointment because we’ve had so much success together.”

Josh Freund is the chief mechanic for Ryan Hunter-Reay’s No. 28 team at Andretti Autosport and believes it’s too early for either direction to play itself out.

“It’s negotiations -- it’s how the game is played,” Freund told Autoweek. “And, it’s above my pay grade.”

Rob Edwards is chief operating officer at Andretti Autosport and admitted to Autoweek, “I keep hearing that. But there is nothing to it.”

It was at Road America last year when rumors began that Chip Ganassi Racing was leaving Chevrolet and would join Honda. Ultimately, that came true and put the balance of power in favor of Honda in 2017. Chevrolet, however, doesn’t like to lose in any racing series and by stealing away one of Honda’s “Power Teams” in 2018, it may shift the power back in Chevy’s direction.

This one promises to play out for the remainder of the season.

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