James Hinchcliffe vowed Thursday in a social media post to come back to the NTT IndyCar Series "stronger" after being replaced in the driver lineup at Arrow McLaren SP.
The team Hinchcliffe has spent the past five seasons with will field cars in 2020 for the past two Indy Lights champions -- Patricio O'Ward and Oliver Askew.
Hinchcliffe is free to seek another team to drive for, and he said he would.
"Obviously, it's very late in the game, but my team is working flat out to try and salvage a full 2020 IndyCar campaign."
The Canadian driver with six career NTT IndyCar Series victories and the Indianapolis 500 pole in 2016 said he has been touched by the support from the motorsports community.
"We only get to do what we do because of the fans, and your passion is amazing," he wrote. "Disappointment aside, I still have my health, incredible family, friends and fans supporting me, and at the end of the day, there's not much a little maple syrup and a Leafs (hockey) game can't fix.
"We've been kicked down before and came back stronger. This is simply our next fight.
"Challenge accepted."