
Barry Ryan took a huge risk at the end of 2020.
In the space of 12 months the Erebus CEO had gone from having a settled, experienced, mostly-harmonious and well-performing driver duo in David Reynolds and Anton De Pasquale to having, well, a rookie and a vacant seat. De Pasquale was poached by Dick Johnson Racing, effectively to replace IndyCar-bound Scott McLaughlin. And as for Reynolds, who was in the first year of a 10-year deal, the relationship during the COVID-affected season soured to a point where it was better for both driver and team to call it quits and go their own ways. Which they did.