IndyCar Wrap-Up: Team Penske's 2025 Season

This is our sixth of 11 IndyCar Wrap-Ups, and since we have started these reviews in reverse order of the championship results, I don't believe we have ever done Team Penske this early. In what was Team Penske's worst season since 1999, none of Penske's three drivers finished better than ninth in the championship. The drivers only won a combined two races. For months, the team seemed unable to avoid trouble, and another technical scandal marred this season, this time revolving around the Indianapolis 500. Key personnel were fired, and at the end of the season, a driver change was also decided.

Will Power

In his 17th season with Penske, Power scrapped to lift the team up the grid. The season started behind the eight-ball, and Power was not immune from the struggles that befell the entire organization. All three Penske entries had to make adjustments, especially after the midseason dismissals of significant personnel. Power lost Ron Ruzewski his race strategist. Power pulled out some top results, but it could only make up for so many of the issues. At the end of his contract, Power had enough and decided to make a change.

What objectively was his best race?

Power got Team Penske on the scoreboard. It might have taken 15 races, but Team Penske's first victory came at Portland, and it came after a rather dominant day. Power led 78 of 110 laps. He took the lead after deciding not to stop under an early caution for Conor Daly's accident. Power was able to open a gap to the rest of the competition. He was able to control the race through track position, and though he faced a late challenge from Christian Lundgaard, Power never stumbled.

What subjectively was his best race?

It is Portland. Power was clearly the best driver in this race, and it felt like a race that was never in doubt even as Lundgaard was increasing the pressure. Power was not going to crack. It would require Lundgaard taking it from Power, and that just wasn't going to happen. 

What objectively was his worst race?

At Gateway, Power lost his right front tire while running in second place. After starting on pole position, Power was the first driver out of the race after 47 laps, and it was the story of the night for a Team Penske trio that looked ready to change the tone on the banks of the Mississipp River.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Power might have already decided he was leaving Team Penske, but he ended his time with the team finishing 21st at Nashville when he could have left making a positive statement. Power was a contender to win the finale, but he overshot his pit stall on his penultimate pit stop and then he stalled after the stop was done. This cost Power a lap and he never recovered.

Will Power's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 9th (357 points)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 3
Top Fives: 6
Top Tens: 8
Laps Led: 87
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 4
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 10.058
Average Finish: 13.235

Scott McLaughlin

Things started out well for McLaughlin, and for the first quarter of the season, he was the best Team Penske driver. However, over the next two quarters, McLaughlin had his worst stretch in IndyCar. Some of it was self-inflicted mistakes. Other poor results were down to things out of his control. McLaughlin rallied late to salvage a respectable championship finish, but this was his toughest season yet in IndyCar.

What objectively was his best race?

On three occasions did McLaughlin finish third. The first time was at Barber Motorsports Park, but he was a distant third behind Álex Palou and Christian Lundgaard. McLaughlin would not finish third against until the penultimate race of the season at Milwaukee. He spent most of the race toward the front, and he held on for third on older tires. At Nashville, McLaughlin closed the season in a battle late with teammate Josef Newgarden. McLaughlin was leading, but he was shuffled back in the final 20 laps and ended up finishing third.

What subjectively was his best race?

Is it a bad thing when the best race of your season was the first race of the season? 

McLaughlin started on pole position at St. Petersburg, and he dominated the early stages. At the end of his first stint, McLaughlin was over ten seconds clear of the field, but what cost him was his tire strategy. Starting on the primary tire, McLaughlin was caught in a pickle as he would have to use the less competitive alternate tire compound mid-race. Meanwhile, the opening lap accident allowed all the cars starting on the alternate tire to change off those tires after two laps under caution. 

McLaughlin struggled over his alternate tire stint and the time lost dropped him from a dominant position in the lead to fourth at the checkered flag. McLaughlin didn't do anything wrong. Without that opening lap caution or a different choice to start the race, he probably would have been able to close out the opening race on the top step of the podium. 

I guess a case could be made for Nashville. He was leading in the closing stages, though he mostly took advantage of Patricio O'Ward having an accident while in the lead. Nashville was probably the closest McLaughlin was to victory, but St. Petersburg was his most dominant race.

What objectively was his worst race?

Scott McLaughlin spun on the pace lap of the Indianapolis 500 and he was out before the race even got started. It was a slight error on a track that may have been a little too moist after a brief shower delayed the start of the race. McLaughlin was warming his tires and then he was sliding to the inside barrier of the main straightaway. He was starting tenth, and his race was over before ever running a lap in anger. 

This blow was softened as three cars were disqualified post-race, meaning McLaughlin does not have the weight of last-place around his neck, but 30th place in the box score doesn't make it any better.

What subjectively was his worst race?

It isn't one race, but the two months that started at the Indianapolis 500 and went through Toronto. 

Here is McLaughlin's run of form:

30th at Indianapolis.

12th at Detroit after receiving a penalty for avoidable contact when he hit Nolan Siegel.

24th at Gateway after a mechanical issue took him out while running in the top ten and he had led the second-most laps that night. And McLaughlin was the best Penske finisher!

12th at Road America as he had to save fuel aggressively in the final stint and it cost him a top ten finish, but he was still the best Penske finisher.

23rd at Mid-Ohio after having to make five pit stops due to tire issues late in the race.

Fourth in the first Iowa race after starting 27th due to an accident in qualifying.

26th in the second Iowa race after having nowhere to go when Devlin DeFrancesco spun on the opening lap, and McLaughlin was again starting dead last due to that qualifying accident.

26th at Toronto after smacking the barrier exit turn two on after he had an unsecured tire after making his first pit stop two laps into the race to remove the less ideal alternate tire.

I don't know how you pick up one result when for two months it was an endless stretch of driver errors, team errors and unfortunate breaks that the team could not escape. 

Scott McLaughlin's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 10th (356 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 3
Top Fives: 6
Top Tens: 9
Laps Led: 112
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 5
Fast Twelves: 7
Average Start: 10.9411
Average Finish: 13.17647

Josef Newgarden

Coming into 2025, Newgarden was looking to reverse a slide that started at the end of the 2023 season and carried through 2024. Unfortunately, it got worse for the American driver. Newgarden could not avoid something going wrong in 2025, and it was a mixture of things in his control and out of his control. Every time you thought Newgarden was going to be clear of hardship, something else would trip him up. He at least ended the season on a high note.

What objectively was his best race?

Newgarden won the season finale at Nashville, his first victory of the season, and it ended a 20-race winless streak dating back to Gateway in 2023. Newgarden had to pull off a daring overtake on teammate Scott McLaughlin while also holding off a late charge from Álex Palou to get the victory.

What subjectively was his best race?

It is Nashville. It was one of the very few races where nothing went wrong for Newgarden, but everyone was on eggshells until the checkered flag. We had seen plenty of races this season where Newgarden appeared to be in control and have a fast car only for something to knock him out of a competitive position. It was good to see him end the season with a clean run to the finish.

What objectively was his worst race?

On two occasions did Newgarden finish 27th. At Long Beach, Newgarden had his seat belts come loose while running in the top ten and it took multiple laps to fix the problem. At Mid-Ohio, Newgarden spun on his own at the start and he hit Graham Rahal in the process. Newgarden's race was over after one lap.

What subjectively was his worst race?

At Gateway, Newgarden had just taken the lead and it appeared he was about to take control of the race when Louis Foster spun exiting turn four and Foster spun into the path of Newgarden's car. Newgarden hit Foster and launched over the #45 Honda. Newgarden got out of the car with no issues, but a promising night was over and he was classified in 25th. 

We could list a number of other results like we did with McLaughlin. I think we need to mention the Indianapolis 500, where Newgarden started 33rd after a penalty for the illegal attenuator modifications only for him to drive into the top ten and then have a mechanical issue take him out when could have factored into who won the race. 

We also need to mention Iowa. In race one, Newgarden was second, but he had led the first 232 of 275 laps before Patricio O'Ward jumped Newgarden in the final pit cycle as the #2 Penske crew did not have the cleanest stop.

In the second Iowa race, Newgarden appeared to have the car to beat, but on two separate occasions the caution came out immediately after Newgarden made a pit stop, trapping him off the lead lap. The wave around gave him his lap back, and after the first time he was able to drive from tenth to first. The second caution came so late in the race that Newgarden could only manage to finish tenth, though that was after he had restarted in eighth.

Josef Newgarden's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 12th (316 points)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 3
Top Fives: 3
Top Tens: 7
Laps Led: 393
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 2
Fast Twelves: 7
Average Start: 11.823
Average Finish: 14.8235

An Early Look Ahead

We are still going to be learning what Team Penske is in 2026. The leadership changes played a role in how 2025 panned out. There is no doubt missing Tim Cindric, Ron Ruzewski and Kyle Moyer played into this team not winning until the 15th race. It was rudderless for months, and the team lacked its spark, notably on road and street courses. Some places have been filled with Jonathan Diuguid taking over as president of the team and Travis Law becoming competition director, but they have big shoes to fill to turn around this team. 

The team's best driver in the championship was ninth. The team won two races. It could just be an off-year, the worst Team Penske has had in the 21st century, but the pressure will be on for this not to be the start of a trend. Team Penske will look to turn it around with a new driver, who is technically on his fifth team in four years in David Malukas, a past champion who has been a shell of his former self for the last two years, and a driver who has only been full-time in single-seaters for five years. 

It is Team Penske. It should be fine. If it wins eight races next year and the championship, it will be business as usual and 2025 will be cast aside as an aberration, but with the might of Chip Ganassi Racing, Arrow McLaren coming off its best year with driver combo in Patricio O'Ward and Christian Lundgaard, and Andretti Global bringing in a motivated Will Power, I don't think it will be easy sledding for Team Penske next year. 

Cindric ran the team for two decades and made it what it was. Each of its three entries had some of the top minds in IndyCar on the timing stand and were pivotal to the success on track. That cannot just be replaced and reap the same results. We saw last year how much the team took a step back. It found its form on a few occasions, and it probably should have won another race or two only for misfortune to catch the team out, but I don't think we are going to see Team Penske be the Team Penske of old with a half-dozen front row lockouts in qualifying and ten races with multiple podium finishers. 

The team will be competitive, but it isn't going to be as easy as we were accustomed to seeing for Team Penske.

It heads into 2026 with an odd mesh of drivers. Newgarden ended 2025 with a much-needed victory, but that does not make up for a driver who regularly makes mistakes after being remarkably consistent over his first seven years at the team. McLaughlin might be the most confident of the three drivers, but he is still the most inexperienced when it comes to single-seater racing. He is a champion, but it still feels odd that he could be the driver most suited to be the leader. Then you have Malukas, who has remarkably gone from outcast at McLaren without ever competing in a race to Team Penske driver in two years. It is also a driver with a career average finish of 14.852 and who has never finished in the top five on a road or street course. 

All eyes will be on Team Penske for 2026. I don't think anyone is certain about what will happen next.

Musings From the Weekend: An Annual Proposal

Here is a rundown of what got me thinking...

Denny Hamlin picked up his 60th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, moving Hamlin into a tie for tenth all-time with Kevin Harvick, in Las Vegas, and Hamlin will have a chance at a championship in three weeks in Phoenix. A handful of championship were awarded around the globe. Marc Márquez will miss the Australia and Malaysia rounds after suffering a fractured shoulder in Indonesia. There will be some testing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway today. Formula One is about to race in Austin. We return to a yearly topic.

An Annual Proposal

It is no secret that I am a proponent of IndyCar competing during Formula One race weekends in North America as a support series. 

One, it will likely put IndyCar in front of its biggest crowds of the season outside of the Indianapolis 500.

Two, it will expose IndyCar to an audience that is not watching and it is a chance to introduce itself and connect with these people.

Three, have you seen the weekend schedules for Formula One weekends in North America? The support series bill is woefully lacking. There is plenty of room on track.

Four, what else is IndyCar doing this time of year?

But I am more adamant now than ever, and I think IndyCar is missing a chance to stretch its reach. 

We know IndyCar is not going to form events that will run during this time of the year. It is committed to ending before football season begins, and rightfully so. All the oxygen is sucked out of the room when the NFL season starts. It doesn't matter how good the race will be or the story surrounding it. People are going to tune into football, they are not going to go to the track in the same droves, and you will be left with a fraction of the average audience. 

The difference with running on a Formula One weekend is you are running in front of a crowd. Austin draws close to 100,000 people for Saturday of the grand prix weekend. Not many place are drawing 100,000 people to an IndyCar race. We can confidently say only one does. Running on Saturday alone would be a boom for IndyCar, but to be a part of the entire weekend adds to the festivities and it makes IndyCar a part of something bigger than itself. 

A lot of people do not like the idea of IndyCar playing second fiddle to Formula One, but at this current moment IndyCar is about six weeks into a six-month offseason. Playing second fiddle is better than not playing at all. Supercars in Australia race during the Australian Grand Prix weekend, and no one dismisses that series as inferior for doing so. Supercars knows when it should take advantage of a situation. If there is going to be a race weekend that draws over 400,000 spectators over three days, you should probably show up for the publicity alone. 

It has been covered a million times how IndyCar does itself no favors with its offseason length, but we also know the likelihood of putting on its own successful event in late-September and October is low. There are also many partners that do not want the races to go beyond Labor Day weekend. This is a chance for IndyCar to live in the middle. It is joining already successful events while not having to lift a finger in terms of promotion, and it would keep IndyCar active into autumn.

This should also be more than just the United States Grand Prix weekend. There will be three Formula One race weekends on the North American continent over the next six weeks. Two are in the United States. IndyCar should be at all of them. 

It isn't just Austin that is drawing a crowd. Mexico City is arguably a bigger event, and seeing how IndyCar has been failing for a decade to host a race in the country, it should just take the easy way out and join the Mexican Grand Prix weekend. Also, why would IndyCar not want to be racing on the streets of Las Vegas? Competing that weekend is something to sell to the sponsors and partners of the series. It definitely increases the series value being there even if it isn't the main event. 

Las Vegas is also the one race where IndyCar could have the better start time! The Formula One race is still starting at 11:00 p.m. Eastern time and that is with the start moving up! IndyCar could race at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on a Saturday night. That would be a big get for the series.

As for how this would fit in with the championship, these three support roles should be independent. Run the championship and have it end with its own with IndyCar as the marquee race, but these three events should be strictly about promotion and spreading the word of IndyCar. It should be about competing in front of people who might not know the series exists or do not have familiarity with it. It is more than what happens on track. 

These should be three weekends where IndyCar is going to the facilities and engaging with the fans that are there. It should be noisy and welcoming to the spectators. It is a chance to become reachable during a race weekend when many people are watching from the outside and cannot be close to the Formula One teams and drivers. IndyCar should go out of its way to engage with general admission attendees. It should have the drivers present and engaging in the fan areas. It should be fun and interpersonal while also selling that these same drivers will be on track competing in 90 minutes and they should stick around and watch. 

The only support series with Formula One this weekend at Austin is the Porsche Carrera Cup North America. Mexico has a little more with GTM Super Copa, TCR Mexico and NACAM Formula 4. It looks like F1 Academy will be the only support series in Las Vegas. Most Formula One weekends in Europe have two, if not three support series. There is nothing on track Friday in Austin until the first Formula One practice at 12:30 p.m. There is room on the bill, and IndyCar should work to get on it. 

The best part of being a support series and running three exhibition events is IndyCar can be open to a different format. It doesn't have to do what it always does. It can try things and play around with regulations. It can run a reverse grid race on Saturday and then a regular grid on Sunday. It can mandate pit stops. It can have the teams start on a half a tank of fuel for the main race and force everyone to run hard with no incentive on saving fuel. It can tinker with the push-to-pass regulations. It can be a little more relaxed and a sliver of the audience would notice the difference from a normal event. 

IndyCar has nothing to lose from trying this. It means playing ball with Liberty Media, making some concessions, and yes being second fiddle, but IndyCar has more to gain doing that than sitting around and doing nothing until March 1, 2026. This would at least keep IndyCar competing into November. The teams would get a six-week break and then get three more race weekends. I know cars are testing today at the IMS road course, but nine people act like that is enough offseason content to keep the series in the spotlight.

It isn't! No one cares! No one knows it is happening! It doesn't matter that Mick Schumacher is running a car!

But you know what people would notice? What if Mick Schumacher was contracted to run these three support weekends with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing? What if another team got Sebastian Vettel to come out and run the three weekends? What if Sergio Pérez competed in the Mexico City weekend? That would draw significant attention to IndyCar, more than any of these weekday tests will over the next few weeks. 

Many of the reasons why IndyCar remains the same size is because of its lack of imagination and effort to do something big and different and just put itself out there. Sitting idle as a series that can barely get a million people to watch the races on television while there will be a trio of race weekends that draw about a million combined spectators is bafflingly braindead. It might not be IndyCar's weekend, but it is a chance to be present and in front of people. Sometimes it is better to be the guest at the party than the host. 

I am going to keep throwing it out there until it happens. IndyCar only gains by being there. Let's see what sitting at home during October gets the series. It isn't going to grow sleeping on this opportunity. 

Champions From the Weekend

The #6 Porsche of Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet clinched the IMSA GTP championship with a third-place finish at Petit Le Mans.

The #99 AO Racing Oreca-Gibson of Dane Cameron and P.J. Hyett clinched the IMSA LMP2 championship with a sixth-place finish at Petit Le Mans.

The #3 Corvette of Antonio García and Alexander Sims clinched the IMSA GTD Pro championship with a third-place finish at Petit Le Mans.

The #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG of Philip Ellis and Russell Ward clinched the IMSA GTD championship with a fifth-place finish at Petit Le Mans.

The #48 Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter Mercedes-AMG of Lucas Auer and Maro Engel clinched the GT World Challenge Europe championship with a 13th-place finish at Barcelona.

The #96 Rutronik Racing Porsche of Sven Müller, Patric Niederhauser and Alessio Picariello clinched the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup championship with a seventh-place finish at Barcelona.

Stefano Manzi clinched the World Supersports championship with finishes of second and first in Estoril. Valentin Debise won the first race.

Winners From the Weekend

You know about Denny Hamlin and company, but did you know...

 

Matthew Payne and Garth Tander won the 68th Bathurst 1000 after the #31 PremiAir Racing Chevolet of James Golding and David Russell had a five-second penalty for a driving infringement. It was Payne's first Bathurst 1000 victory, and it was Tander's sixth Bathurst 1000 victory.

The #31 Whelen Racing Cadillac of Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber and Frederik Vesti won the 28th Petit Le Mans. The #11 TDS Racing Oreca-Gibson of Mikkel Jesen, Hunter McElrea and Steven Thomas won in LMP2. The #48 Paul miller racing BMW of Dan Harper, Max Hesse and Connor De Phillippi won in GTD Pro. The #21 AF Corse Ferrari of Simon Mann, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Lilou Madoux won in GTD.

Aric Almirola won the NASCAR Grand National Series race, his third victory of the season.

Sacha Fenestraz won a rain-shortened Super Formula race from Fuji. The second race was cancelled due to weather.

The #58 Garage 59 McLaren of Dean MacDonald, Louis Prette and Adam Smalley won the 3 Hours of Barcelona.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (race one and SuperPole race) and Nicolò Bulega (race two) split the World Superbike races from Estoril.

Coming Up This Weekend

United States Grand Prix. 

NASCAR is at Talladega.

MotoGP visits its best circuit at Phillip Island.

The Intercontinental GT Challenge ends its season with the Indianapolis 8 Hours.

Portimão closes out the European Le Mans Series season. 

The World Superbike season concludes in Jerez.

Super GT will be at Autopolis.

The World Rally Championship has the Central European Rally.

IndyCar Wrap-Up: A.J. Foyt Racing's 2025 Season

We hit the halfway point of the IndyCar Wrap-Ups, and A.J. Foyt Racing had another good season. This year saw both of its cars running competitively and a change in the driver line-up was a positive. David Malukas was up to the task against Santino Ferrucci, who was coming off a revelation of a 2024 season. The team had good spells, though it was not quite as consistent as the year before. It might have been a dip, but it is still a big leap from where the team had been for the better part of the previous decade.

David Malukas

Salvaging a 2024 season by stepping into a Meyer Shank Racing for ten races, Malukas was signed early to join A.J. Foyt Racing in an anticipated program as it was believed the Team Penske-affiliated team was bringing in an unofficial Team Penske development driver. Like his past seasons, there were a few impressive days from Malukas. There were also a number of less stellar results.

What objectively was his best race?

Malukas was technically third on the road, but he will be classified as second in the Indianapolis 500 after Marcus Ericsson was disqualified from the final results. It was Malukas' best finish in the Indianapolis 500.

What subjectively was his best race?

It is hard to go against Indianapolis because Malukas spent most of that race lurking behind the lead pack. In his penultimate stint, he stretched fuel to keep himself in the picture for a shot at victory late. He never really made a move to get ahead either Ericsson or Álex Palou, but he did not falter in the biggest race of the season.

Gateway must be mentioned as well because Malukas led the most lap in the race, however slow pit stops hurt his track position, and Malukas had a moment where he went up the track making an aggressive attempt to pass Kyle Kirkwood that cost him more spots. He ended up finishing 12th.

What objectively was his worst race?

While running second, Malukas made contact with the lapped car of Louis Foster entering turn one at Nashville. Malukas spun into the barrier and the race was over, ending a promising chance at victory. He was placed 26th.

What subjectively was his worst race?

It is Nashville. The incident was avoidable. Foster was not blameless as he had made a move up the track as Malukas was approaching, but Foster was also all the way on the bottom line when Malukas made contact. Foster had nowhere to go and Malukas was perhaps a tad too aggressive and could have held off until the backstretch to make the move. 

David Malukas' 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 11th (318 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 2
Top Tens: 5
Laps Led: 97
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 3
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 9.411
Average Finish: 13.529

Santino Ferrucci

Back for his third season with A.J. Foyt Racing, Ferrucci was looking to defend a top ten championship finish from the 2024 season. He also had a teammate he would be extra interested in beating with the Penske ties. Ferrucci had some good days, but he didn't quite match his 2024 output. His best days this year came more down to timing than sheer speed.

What objectively was his best race?

Ferrucci caught a caution at Detroit having made his final pit stop just before a caution. This lifted him up to the lead and Ferrucci was at the front for most of the final stint, but he could not hold off Kyle Kirkwood. Ferrucci was able to come back and finish second despite fighting drivers with better tires.

It should be noted Ferrucci received a 26-point penalty as his car had an incorrect driver equivalency weight for the Detroit round. His best finish with a completely legal car was third at Road America after Ferrucci stretched his fuel to hold on ahead of Kyle Kirkwood.

What subjectively was his best race?

Nashville saw Ferrucci finish eighth after he made his own blunder on a pit stop. Ferrucci had an illegal pit entry under caution and it knocked him out of the top ten. Ferrucci made up ground quickly and got himself back into the top ten. A block from Robert Shwartzman likely cost Ferrucci another spot or two.

Gateway should get recognized as a really good race for Ferrucci on speed. He was in the top ten and led late running as long as he could before his final pit stop. Even after that stop, he still cycled out to a top five spot and finished fifth, which was likely a few spots better than how he had been running prior to that final stint.

What objectively was his worst race?

Ferrucci spun on the exit of the final corner on lap three at Portland and he hit the inside barrier. This ended his race and placed Ferrucci in last, 27th.

What subjectively was his worst race?

An accident on a damp but drying surface at Toronto meant Ferrucci could not start the race. The team could not get the car repaired in time for the race. It ended what had been a good run of form. Prior to Toronto, he had five top ten finishes in the previous seven races. After Toronto, he had one top ten finish and an average result of 18th over the final four races.

Santino Ferrucci's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 16th (293 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 2
Top Fives: 4
Top Tens: 6
Laps Led: 16 
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 1
Average Start: 12.8235
Average Finish: 15.588

An Early Look Ahead

This is a crossroads for A.J. Foyt Racing. 

We don't know if the Team Penske technical relationship is continuing for another season. Team Penske seems to have gotten all it wanted out of this relationship. It was able to put a young driver in one of the Foyt cars and confirm his ability was good enough to offer a Team Penske seat. 

For two consecutive seasons, Foyt was a championship top ten contender. Malukas did end up 11th in the championship. Ferrucci took a dip. However, if you give those 26 points back from the Detroit penalty, Ferrucci would have been 11th and a point better than Malukas. In essence, the lineup was pretty even and did not suffer a massive backward slide from 2024.

There are some concerns. Ferrucci didn't really progress this year. He had fewer top ten finishes. His two podium finishes were definitely fortunate results where cautions fell in his favor and he didn't get fully reprimanded for having an illegal car at Detroit. His qualifying form was bad in 2025. Only once did he make it out of the first round of qualifying on a road or street course. At some point, you aren't going to be able to gain seven to nine spots a race.

Malukas will be gone, and the next driver will not be a Team Penske plant. A.J. Foyt Racing doesn't have a great track record hiring drivers. It isn't clear if it will go for experience or for youth. Neither have been the proven decision for Foyt. Both have struggled.

If the Penske support is gone, it is natural to expect a step back, at least for one of the cars. There will be a lot of holes that will need to be filled, and we know where Foyt was prior to the support. It might not necessarily sink entirely to the bottom in 2026, but it is difficult to imagine it can maintain its positioning without it. 

IndyCar Wrap-Up: Ed Carpenter Racing's 2025 Season

Our fifth IndyCar Wrap-Up brings us to the first race winning team of the 2025 IndyCar season, and it was probably a little bit of a surprise. The driver who won the race was probably not the driver you expected would win for this team, but Ed Carpenter Racing returned to victory lane for the first time in over four years. It was still a tough season for ECR. It was not a regular contender for victories, and it was in the same place we are accustomed to seeing ECR run. It just had one outstanding day.

Christian Rasmussen

For his second year in IndyCar, Rasmussen was given full-time responsibilities from day one at ECR. All the road courses, all the street course and all the ovals. There was plenty of room for growth, and Rasmussen made some strides in a team where he was paired with a past race winner for a teammate. The difference in experience did not hold Rasmussen back, and over the second half of the season, he was the better of the two Ed Carpenter Racing drivers, and Rasmussen ended the season with a stunner.

What objectively was his best race?

How about his first career victory? At Milwaukee, Rasmussen overcame a pit lane speeding penalty and took new tires under a late caution while a handful of cars did not. In the late sprint, Rasmussen used new tires to get to the front and it led to a one-on-one battle with Álex Palou, who was approaching 200 laps led. Rasmussen had the advantage and he took the lead with 16 laps remaining. 

Palou did his best to remain close, but Rasmussen had the tire advantage and was about to win by just under two seconds. 

What subjectively was his best race?

It is Milwaukee, but it is also for how aggressive Rasmussen ran the final stint. Rasmussen was on the ragged limit even after taking the lead. Despite not being under much pressure, Rasmussen never let off. Palou couldn't keep up. No one else on newer tires had close in and pose a challenge. Yet, Rasmussen remained on the limit and he was sawing on the wheel. There were a few moments where it felt like he was almost going too far, but Rasmussen took the victory.

There should be an honorable mention for Gateway because Rasmussen overcame being thrown off strategy after a bad pit stop where the car was not filled with fuel and then needing emergency service for fuel under the Louis Foster/Josef Newgarden caution. Rasmussen was able to make passes front he back and he was able to get up to third.

The Indianapolis 500 should be recognized because he ended up sixth after the post-race penalties, but he went off-strategy and it put the car in the top ten. He held his own for the entire race and moved forward from his starting position.

What objectively was his worst race?

A week after winning his first career race, Rasmussen didn't even complete a lap in the next race at Nashville. Rasmussen was starting at the back after a grid penalty for an engine change. Rasmussen spun in turn two and hit the wall, ending his season 250 laps early.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Rasmussen may have finished 12th at Portland, but his antics with Conor Daly did Rasmussen no favors. He ran Daly off the road in turn seven. That didn't get a penalty. Then the two came together in turn ten, and Daly spun off course. I don't think Rasmussen was 100% at fault and believe it was more of a racing incident, but Rasmussen did not help his already aggressive reputation.

Christian Rasmussen's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 13th (313 points)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 2
Top Fives: 2
Top Tens: 6
Laps Led: 46
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 2
Average Start: 17.9411
Average Finish: 14.294

Alexander Rossi

Joining his third team in four seasons, Rossi was hoping to find some form with Ed Carpenter Racing, a team that had not been a regular at the top level of competition. The season started respectively for Rossi, but after the first five races, Rossi experienced the worst slump of his IndyCar career. Results were not going his way, and Rossi ended up having his worst season in IndyCar.

What objectively was his best race?

The weekend where his teammate took victory, Rossi was fourth at Milwaukee. Rossi was actually the best placed driver on new tires after that final round of pit stops, but Rasmussen had the better restart and did a better job getting through traffic. Milwaukee was a great day prior to that final stint. Rossi spent practically the entire race in the top ten and much of it pushing for a top five result.

What subjectively was his best race?

It is Milwaukee, but Portland also deserves a mention. Portland was the first race of the season where Rossi felt like an actual contender for the podium. He started sixth and spent pretty much the entire race in the top five and on the edge of a podium spot. Prior to that, I am not sure he had really contended for a top five finish in any races. There was actually one race that looked promising. 

What objectively was his worst race?

That promising race was the Indianapolis 500, and Rossi was running in the top five, but gearbox issues brought his race to an end with a pit lane fire only adding insult to injury. Rossi's race was done, and he was classified in 28th.

What subjectively was his worst race?

It isn't one race, but it is Rossi's entire slump a seven-race rut that really started in Gateway and went through Laguna Seca. Seven races. No top ten finishes. Two retirements. Add to that the Indianapolis 500 gearbox problem two races before that, Rossi could not catch a break for two months, and it wasn't just the race results. He couldn't qualify either. He didn't start in the top ten for nine consecutive races. Considering how his season started, it was tough to see Rossi constantly struggling to be in the top half of the field. 

Alexander Rossi's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 15th (297 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 2
Top Tens: 7
Laps Led: 33
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 1
Fast Twelves: 5
Average Start: 14.352
Average Finish: 13.764

An Early Look Ahead

Ed Carpenter Racing ended 2025 with momentum. Rasmussen won a race. Rossi ended with two of his best finishes and three consecutive top ten finishes. The problem is how much will it carry over to 2026.

The 2025 season started well. Rossi had three top ten finishes in the first four races. The team then hit a rut. Rasmussen had a few good results, but Rasmussen has been inconsistent and erratic at times over his two seasons. He has shown good speed on ovals, but ovals are only a third of the schedule. He has never finished better than ninth on a road or street course in two seasons.

Everyone is sticking together for another season. Rossi should improve, but he didn't make a big leap from year one to year two at McLaren. That was already a team competing at the front with a load of resources. ECR is looking to move up a tier. 

There should be some positivity that the oval form could position the team to be more competitive for the championship top ten. Rasmussen did have five top ten finishes in six oval races. Rossi was on the wrong side of mechanical issues at Indianapolis and Iowa. It cost him promising results at both. Those were two races where Rossi could have at least finished in the top ten. He likely would have gotten more at Indianapolis. If he goes the distance in both of those, he is probably ahead of Rasmussen in the championship and maybe even 11th. That surely changes how we view his season. 

It is hard to get excited about Ed Carpenter Racing. It feels like we have been here before where it has these flashes but it never materializes over a full season to be something serious, and it is never more than one good year. We are going to be approaching a decade since ECR last had a driver in the top ten of the championship, and that was Josef Newgarden. Since Newgarden left, ECR's best driver has finished 15th, 14th, 14th, 14th, 12th, 12th, 14th, 13th and 13th in the championship. The team has gone through a fair share of drivers at different points in their careers and they are all end in the same area. 

We know the limit of ECR, and we haven't really been given a reason to believe next time will be any different.

Musings From the Weekend: Spending Roger Penske's Money

Here is a rundown of what got me thinking...

McLaren clinched the World Constructors' championship with a 3-4 finish in Singapore, but only one half of the lineup felt like celebrating. The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters had a season finale for the ages. The inevitable happened in Charlotte. NASCAR is also simultaneously seeing two of its greatest performances in the lower divisions happen, and it could all be for nothing in a month's time. Marc Márquez at least broke his collarbone after he clinched the world championship. IndyCar teams might be getting a little more money at the end of next season. Perhaps they should be getting more than that.

Spending Roger Penske's Money

They say it is easier to spend other people's money, and that is true, especially when it is a lot of money. Spending $20 is hard, $20 million however? Piece of cake. 

Roger Penske will be spending a little more of his own money next year, or at least IndyCar will be spending a little more money after Fox purchased a stake in the series. Racer Magazine's Marshall Pruett reported last week IndyCar is preparing to increase the Leader Circle prize to each entry at the end of the 2026 season. An increase of $500,000 per the 22 entries would mean an additional $11 million in the Leader Circle purse. Each entry would receive around $1.7 million as the base payment. 

Such a boost is nice to see considering the cost of fielding a full-time entry has essentially doubled in just a little over a half a decade. What once could be done for around $5 million for the full season has inched closer to $10 million. Something had to change or at least adjust to keep up with the times, but more should be done. 

This isn't just about the base payments for the Leader Circle program. It is good that these teams get a foundation to start with each year, even if that foundation is a little thinner than it used to be, but money can be used to drive attention. People get excited when the lottery creeps ever closer to $500 million. You don't hear much celebrating about the guy who won the $50 million prize. The $500 million prize winner gets your attention. 

Nobody will tune in because 25 cars will be competing for 22 spots that will now get $1.7 million for 17 races of work. That is essentially $100,000 per race.  

If IndyCar wants attention, it should do something attention worthy. 

In golf, the Fedex Cup might bill itself as the playoffs, but no one looks as the winner as the undisputed champion in golf. It does pay $10,000,000 to win to win the final event, The Tour Championship. That is noteworthy and a reason to tune in. And that is just one event. Golf is not hurting for big money events.

Scottie Scheffler won over $3 million for winning The Open Championships. Scheffler also got closer to $3.5 million for winning the PGA Championships in May. Then there is this event called The Masters, and Rory McIlroy got a cool $4.2 million for winning it. The Players' Championship isn't even a major but McIlroy took home $4.5 million for winning that event a month after The Masters.

Throughout the golf season, there are multiple events that draw your attention.

When it comes to the IndyCar season... well, we all know the joke that is one race in May and a bunch of filler for the rest of the year. 

There is only one IndyCar race that pays anything worth the damn for winning. Álex Palou took home $3.8 million for winning the Indianapolis 500 this year. How much did Palou take home for the other seven victories he had in 2025? As far as we know, with the Leader Circle funding, winning a race only pays an additional $30,000. That means in seven races, Palou took home an additional $210,000. 

At least the championship earned Palou $1,000,000. 

We can inflate a race's importance on name, location and history, but the truth is if the prize is not flashy race prestige is only going to take it so far. If IndyCar wants all of its races to be taken seriously, then the series must take them seriously. 

This is where we get to Roger Penske's wallet. 

The man is set. He isn't struggling. He can part with some cash, funnel it to the teams and drivers, and he will still be fine. He likely would never notice it is missing. 

An $11 million injection could be coming to the base payments, but there should be a significant infusion of what each race pays and that should be a selling point for each event. 

Let's remove the Indianapolis 500 for a moment, because that race is fine. There are 16 other races on the schedule. 

Roger Penske could take $16 million dollars and have every race pay at least $1 million to each winner. That would get everyone's attention. Win a race, bring home $1 million. 

Let's go a little further than that, because not all races are made equally. Some should be more than $1 million.

Shouldn't Long Beach pay a little more than $1 million? We act like it is one of the five most historic races in the United States and you can win more on a scratch off ticket from the convenience store than the race itself. That should get an additional $1 million for the winner. Road America is one of the best attended races of the year. That should be worth a little more. If Nashville is going to be immediately after the World Cup Final, that night race should have a little extra on the line too. 

If IndyCar is worried about viewers tuning out if a championship is clinched early, those last few races could pay even more. How about $3 million for each Milwaukee race? How about $4 million for the Laguna Seca finale? Now, if Laguna Seca is paying $4 million, then we will need to boost the Indianapolis 500 winner's share and make that at least $6 million. 

Then there is the championship. The championship cannot be worth equal to one race victory at Detroit or Markham, Ontario. Let's get the championship up to $5 million. The champion will likely have a few race victories. It will be a healthy year in the bank account for the champion. 

With $1 million to win the other 16 races outside of Memorial Day weekend, plus the additional million for three races, plus the additional $2 million for the Milwaukee races, then the additional $3 million for the finale, the $2.2 million to increase the Indianapolis 500 share and the $4 million for the championship increase, it would cost Mr. Penske $32.2 million. 

You might be saying, "How can we do that? Do you realize what that would do to Mr. Penske's bank account? It isn't fair." 

If Roger Penske spent $32.2 million to award the winners and champion in the IndyCar series, Roger Penske would still be a handsome billionaire after all the checks cleared. This would not financially ruin him. He would be fine. He is going to be fine. The series he owns is another story.

It would be tough to make it back, but maybe spending just north of $32 million is what it will take to draw in more viewers. 

You must imagine some would be curious to tune in if there was that much money on the line. There would be something to sell at every race. The drivers would have something to shoot for. It could cause an influx of followers who will be wondering who gets a payday and they could keep showing up to see whose week it will be. With an increase in viewers, sponsors become more intrigued and are willing to spend more in the series. If done right, it could pay for itself. 

It would at least give people a reason to tune in for Gateway on a Sunday night in June June or Arlington in March when it is against the NCAA tournament. It makes the Mid-Ohio race a little more interesting and it would help against the competition of a NASCAR race possibly happening at the same time. There is something to push that is intangible and people understand the value of. That is a hell of a lot more compelling than a playoff spot.

I get it. This is easier said than done, but wouldn't the attention from the announcement alone be worth it? IndyCar has a six-month season, and then it is radio silent. Talk about launching a cannonball from the top platform. People would have a reason to talk and at least take note of when next season begins. There is nothing IndyCar can do between and the first race of 2026 that would generate such attention. It doesn't matter if it is a third manufacturer joining the series, announcing the return of Michigan or stunningly hiring Max Verstappen to be on the grid. Money talks. People listen when it speaks.

They say you have to spend money to make money. IndyCar has its sugar daddy. It shouldn't be afraid to flaunt the cash for a few eyeballs.

Champions From the Weekend

You know about McLaren, but did you know...

Ayhancan Güven won the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters championship with finishes of fifth and first from Hockenheim. Güven passed Marco Wittmann on the final lap of the finale, giving the Turkish driver an additional five points as he defeated Lucas Auer by four points for the championship. Thomas Preining won the first race of the weekend.

José Antonio Rueda clinched the Moto3 championship with his ninth victory of the season from Indonesia.

Winners From the Weekend

You know about Preining, Güven and Rueda, but did you know...

Fermín Aldeguer won MotoGP's Indonesian Grand Prix, his first career victory in the class. Marco Bezzecchi won the sprint race. Diogo Moreira won the Moto2 race, his third victory of the season. 

George Russell won the Singapore Grand Prix, his second victory of the season. 

Shane van Gisbergen won the NASCAR Cup Series race from Charlotte, his fifth victory of the season. Connor Zilisch won the Grand National Series race, his tenth victory of the season. Corey Heim won the Truck Series race, his tenth victory of the season, and a single-season record for the Truck Series. 

Coming Up This Weekend

The 68th Bathurst 1000.

Petit Le Mans ends the IMSA season. 

The 3 Hours of Barcelona ends the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Season.

World Superbike has its penultimate round from Estoril.

Super Formula has its penultimate round from Fuji.

NASCAR begins its semifinal round in Las Vegas.

This Week in IndyCar Silly Season: Testing, Testing, Testing

October did not start with a bang, but it is not a case that nothing happened. Cars were on track to open the month! Whether it leads to any race seats for 2026 remains a question, but we start with some news from last Friday that was released after we covered the previous week in silly season. 

Mick Schumacher to Test for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Last Friday, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced Mick Schumacher would participate for the team in an evaluation test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on Monday October 13. 

Schumacher currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship driving for Alpine in the Hypercar class. Schumacher has a pair of third-place finishes this season at Imola and Spa-Francorchamps. He and his co-drivers Jules Gounon and Frédéric Makowiecki are 16th in the championship with one round remaining from Bahrain next month. This is Schumacher’s second season with the Alpine program. 

Prior to his time in WEC, Schumacher spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons in Formula One driving for Haas. His best finish was sixth in the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.

Mid-Ohio Evaluation Test

On Wednesday October 1, five drivers competed in a private test from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in evaluation runs. 

Felipe Nasr led the testing driving for Team Penske with a lap at 65.715 seasons, ahead of fellow Brazilian Caio Collet, who was driving for A.J. Foyt Racing and ran a lap at 65.861 seconds. Dennis Hauger was third as Hauger was able to use the test to begin acclimation to his 2026 race seat with Dale Coyne Racing. Hauger’s best lap was run at 68.232 seconds. 

Chip Ganassi Racing had Niels Koolen fourth (66.649 seconds) and Meyer Shank Racing had Kakunoshin Ohta in fifth (66.850 seconds). 

Nasr competes for the the Porsche Penske program in IMSA while Collet and Koolen were in Indy Lights in 2025. Ohta competes full-time in the Super Formula and Super GT championships, but the Japanese driver has run for MSR’s Acura program in IMSA this season. 

More Testing to Come

Along with Schumacher testing for RLLR at the IMS road course on October 13, Andretti Global is believed to be running an evaluation test for Lochie Hughes. Hughes was third in the 2025 Indy Lights season driving for the Andretti program. 

It is believed Arrow McLaren will run an evaluation test at the end of the month for Enzo Fittipaldi at Sebring. Enzo, the brother of recent IndyCar driver Pietro Fittipaldi, has spent 2025 competing in the LMP2 class in the European Le Mans Series. Prior to that, he spent three seasons in Formula Two where he won two races. 

It is believed Fittipaldi will be competing in Indy Lights next year with HMD Motorsports.

Though official details have yet to be finalized, tests on the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and at Gateway are expected to be held this month. 

How Do We Feel About This Week?

Evaluation tests are a mixed bag. Some lead to nothing. Some lead to something. You cannot take them that seriously, but they are notable.

When it comes to Schumacher at RLLR, it feels a little surreal. For starters, it is the son whose father who publicly never regarded IndyCar and oval racing highly. The words of Michael Schumacher also came almost 25 years ago when American open-wheel racing was fractured and it was not at its highest. Mick Schumacher has also expressed a longing for single-seater racing, and there are only a few top series where you compete. He did Formula One and no one is calling him back. Other than IndyCar, the other option is Super Formula in Japan, a series where almost all the drivers pair with another whether that be Super GT or another sports car division because it is only eight weekends a year.

The Schumacher family has long had property in Texas. The United States is not so foreign to Mick. There are not many options out there, and RLLR is probably the best of the remaining options. He is going to get a taste and then we will find out if he wants more, if he can afford to do more considering RLLR will likely need some funding, and we will progress from there. An IndyCar is far different from a Formula One car. Nico Hülkenberg tested for Arrow McLaren four years ago, and one of the reasons it didn’t go anywhere is because Hülkenberg found the car physically more demanding to drive while also not wanting to race on ovals.

Schumacher might feel the same way after this test. If he thinks it is not for him, it is fine if he decides to decline any further opportunity, but if he wants to take on more, he at least has a foot in the door.

Besides Hauger, the two drivers of note from the Mid-Ohio test are Collet and Ohta.

Collet is believed to be auditioning for that Foyt seat, and to put up a respectable time without getting into an accident is a good first impression. It feels like this could check the box and Foyt has its second driver set for 2026. 

Ohta had been long-rumored to be set for an IndyCar test at some point this year. The more interesting thing about Ohta is how invested Honda is in this opportunity. Ohta will not be on the grid full-time in 2026, but IndyCar and Honda do not have a contract for the 2027 season. I cannot imagine Ohta is preparing for a possible 2027 seat if Honda is not involved in the series. This doesn’t mean it is all but confirmed that Honda is remaining in IndyCar for the near-future, but if it wasn’t interested, I don’t think Ohta has this test.

As for Nasr and Koolen, this wasn’t Nasr first IndyCar test nor his first test with Team Penske. Nasr has potential to run an IndyCar, but Team Penske has just signed David Malukas, Scott McLaughlin signed a contract extension ahead of last season, and while Josef Newgarden has been in a rut for the last two years, I don’t think Penske is going to move on from Newgarden after 2026. Nasr is there to keep Newgarden honest, but I don’t think we are going to see the Brazilian change categories anytime soon.

Koolen made a big improvement from 2024 to 2025 in Indy Lights, but he still has a long way to go, and Ganassi is taking advantage of testing one of its Indy Lights drivers. It doesn’t mean much at this time.

What is to Come?

Besides these tests, we wait for the same three seats at RLLR, DCR and Juncos Hollinger Racing to be filled. 

I am sure something else will come up to keep us occupied. 

IndyCar Wrap-Up: Dale Coyne Racing's 2025 Season

Our fourth IndyCar Wrap-Up sees a team that moved up the grid. Dale Coyne Racing went from a team that didn't have a car finish better than 13th in 2024 to a team that nearly stole a victory in Toronto while having a number of other impressive days. It was the last team to set its driver lineup, and it did it late in the game, but the last driver hired proved to be a wise choice. However, Dale Coyne Racing still showed its shortcomings, and it took another tough blow in the month of May.

Rinus VeeKay

The last driver hired for a full-time seat, VeeKay took on a new challenge as he was out of a ride after five seasons with Ed Carpenter Racing. Joining the team that did not have a car finish better than 13th the year prior was a cause for concern, but VeeKay excelled at Dale Coyne Racing. Together they found good results early, and ran surprisingly competitive at times. What could have been a step backward for a career at a crossroads may have been a big leap forward for the Dutch driver.

What objectively was his best race?

VeeKay ended up second at Toronto, but he led 16 laps after the cautions and pit strategy shook out to the point where VeeKay was at the front. He was leading going into the final round of pit stops, but the concern would be if his #18 DCR crew could complete a stop to hold off Patricio O'Ward. Unfortunately, it didn't. O'Ward took the lead and sailed to victory, but VeeKay held on to second, his first podium in over three years.

What subjectively was his best race?

Toronto was good, but VeeKay started to stand out early. He opened the season with a ninth at St. Petersburg. Thermal Club and Long Beach were tougher days, but VeeKay shined at Barber Motorsports Park. He qualified a surprising fifth and he spent the entire race in the top five. He was up to fourth late and pushing Scott McLaughlin for that final podium position. Barber set the tone for VeeKay's season. 

What objectively was his worst race?

VeeKay had consecutive 27th-place finishes, and at the worst time. In the Indianapolis 500, VeeKay had an accident in the pit lane. At Detroit, his car suffered an engine failure after only completing six laps. 

What subjectively was his worst race?

At Indianapolis, VeeKay had used an alternate strategy to get into the top ten. We were only 200 miles into the race. There was plenty of time for VeeKay to do more, and he lost the car on pit entry when he didn't have brakes. Detroit was terrible because he qualified sixth. That final week of May and first day of June are really the low points of his season. 

Rinus VeeKay's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 14th (305 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 2
Top Tens: 7
Laps Led: 19
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 1
Fast Twelves: 4
Average Start: 18.764
Average Finish: 13.882

Jacob Abel

After three seasons in Indy Lights, there was only one place left for Abel to go, and that was IndyCar. With help from his family's team, Abel partnered with Dale Coyne Racing, and it was one of the toughest seasons you could ask for. While half the team shined and were a reason to celebrate, Abel's half was a reminder of how small Dale Coyne Racing is and how tough it is to be remotely competitive let alone succeed.

What objectively was his best race?

Benefitting from not stopping before what ultimately was the final caution of the second Iowa race, Abel remained on the lead lap while a number of drivers were trapped a lap down. He had not been driving great prior to that but he was not ahead of most of the competition, and Abel finished 11th. 

What subjectively was his best race?

It is really just the second Iowa race, but Detroit should be mentioned because after Abel failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, he responded and finished 18th, his best finish of the season up to that point.

What objectively was his worst race?

On the road, Abel was 27th at Barber Motorsports Park, dead last in a race where every car was running at the finish. Abel never had good speed. In the first Iowa race, Abel had an accident after 72 laps and he was classified in 27th.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Isn't failing to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 objectively worse than finishing last in two other races? Either way, Indianapolis was a low moment. We knew Dale Coyne Racing had a car fail to qualify last year, and DCR had two cars in the last row shootout the year before that. Most had Abel penciled in for the last row shootout, but he never had the pace to threaten to make the race. He struggled to break 227 mph over a four-lap average. It became clear in the middle of the practice week that Abel was missing the race unless someone else had the qualifying weekend from hell. That didn't happen, and Abel missed the Indianapolis 500. 

Jacob Abel's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 27th (123 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 0
Laps Led: 0
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 0
Average Start: 24.9375
Average Finish: 22.6875

An Early Look Ahead

We know Dennis Hauger will be joining the Dale Coyne Racing operation, as Coyne forms a technical partnership with Andretti Global for the 2026 season. It is unclear who will be in the second seat. Jacob Abel has not been ruled out, but it seems unlikely Abel will return for a second season at DCR. The one named mentioned for the second seat was Romain Grosjean, who spent 2025 as a reserve driver for Prema.

There were plenty of reasons to be encouraged heading into 2026. The Andretti partnership only increases the positive vibes around the Coyne operation. 

The month of May should be more smooth now that Andretti is involved, but it is not guaranteed they will be in the clear. Remember, Marco Andretti was also in the last chance qualifying session at Indianapolis along with the two Dale Coyne Racing last year. At least it shouldn't seem inevitable one of the Coyne cars will fail to make the race. 

Coyne is getting a driver who is more than ready for IndyCar and probably should have been in IndyCar this year. Hauger is joining an ascending team, if it was only getting out of the cellar. There will surely be some growing pains. Ovals are still new to the Norwegian. However, there should be a level of competitiveness that is somewhere in the ballpark of where we saw DCR in 2025. It is still Dale Coyne Racing. It will not be competing for the championship. It will have days where it is never in the picture, but there will be weekends where Coyne is quick and performing better than a handful of cars that are better on paper.

Dale Coyne said we would know both of the team's drivers by Halloween. That is less than a month away. If it is Grosjean, we know that combination worked in 2021. Grosjean probably should have won one race, if not two. We also know how Grosjean's attitude can swing and, when things are not going right, he is stuck in a hole too deep for a tow truck to pull him out. Maybe a year on the sidelines will help. It is not going to fully change him, but he could have a new perspective that keeps him more grounded. 

If it isn't Grosjean, you would think it would be someone with experience, and I mean more than the 16 starts Abel made last year. Coyne has an opportunity with the Andretti partnership to return to a level it has not seen since 2019. This is a chance to have two proper drivers that you can feel confident will have days in the top ten, maybe push the top five, and if the cards fall right, could be looking at victory. We saw that was the case with Rinus VeeKay this year.

Who else fits that mold? It is a pretty steep drop off from Grosjean. Conor Daly could be available, but we know his ceiling and unless it is an oval, you do not expect Daly to raise Coyne's level. Coyne isn't getting Takuma Sato to comeback to full-time driving. The same can be said for Ryan Hunter-Reay. Jack Harvey has already announced his Indianapolis 500 plans with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Outside of those handful of drivers, there aren't many other veterans available to direct a program. There is a lot of youth and inexperience. That isn't what Coyne needs or is looking for. 

There should be a lot of curious eyes on Dale Coyne Racing over the next few months, especially when testing begins.