IndyCar Wrap-Up: Arrow McLaren's 2026 Season

We are nearing the end of our IndyCar Wrap-Ups, and we move onto Arrow McLaren. For the first time since McLaren's IndyCar return, the team had multiple drivers win a race. The team won a combined five races, again its best since returning to IndyCar. For the second consecutive year, two driver cracked the championship top five, but it was a different driver on top, and McLaren honored that success the only way it could. Changing two-thirds of its driver lineup, including  dismissing its top driver in the championship. 

Christian Lundgaard

After an outstanding first season with the McLaren organization, Lundgaard still had room to growth in year two. The Dane made those steps. After going winless, Lundgaard found his way to the top with some impressive performances. He wound up leading the team for most of the season, and ended 2026 top in the organization. However, it ended up not being enough.

What objectively was his best race?

Two victories for Lundgaard in his second season at McLaren. The first came in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis when Lundgaard spent much of the race in second, but leaped into the lead through the final pit cycle and overtaking David Malukas. At Road America, Lundgaard suffered front wing damage on the opening lap and it shuffled him to dead last. Nearly every caution fell into his favor, but Lundgaard still had to make passes. Being slightly off strategy allowed Lundgaard to run harder and place him into second when Marcus Armstrong was leading until Armstrong lost his engine with three laps remaining. Lundgaard had to hold on for one restart and took a rather improbable victory.

What subjectively was his best race?

Take your pick of either victory. On the IMS road course, Lundgaard looked threatening and was going to take his shot when within striking distance of Malukas, and Lundgaard pulled off a wonderful pass to take the lead. He drove away from there. At Road America, Lundgaard was on the offensive, and even before Armstrong's engine failure, Lundgaard was closing and may have had a shot to drive to victory even before catching the break.

What objectively was his worst race?

Lundgaard was 20th at Long Beach after attempting a three-stop strategy that did not work for anybody. Lundgaard had started 11th and was hoping to turn into something greater.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Two oval races where Lundgaard was nonexistent. At the Indianapolis 500, Lundgaard started 18th and finished 17th but never showed any brilliant pace or ability to move forward. At Nashville, Lundgaard never looked comfortable and was just hanging on. He was 16th at the finish.

Christian Lundgaard's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 3rd (535 points)
Wins: 2
Podiums: 7
Top Fives: 8
Top Tens: 14
Laps Led: 91
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 5
Fast Twelves: 9
Average Start: 11.778
Average Finish: 7.1667

Patricio O'Ward

Every year, expectations are high for O'Ward to have that long-awaited breakthrough. It didn't quite happen in 2026, but O'Ward was still fantastic. The only problem is he was not winning. He had plenty of top five finishes, but they were not competitive drives where O'Ward was controlling the race. He was in the background. The breakthroughs came during summer, and they made his season look a little better though something was lacking. 

What objectively was his best race?

O'Ward won three times. At Mid-Ohio, O'Ward had a battle with his teammate Christian Lundgaard. Lundgaard led, but a brief instance of running wide opened the door for O'Ward, who swept into the lead. There was not much of a challenge from Lundgaard, and O'Ward got his first victory of the season. 

O'Ward swept the weekend at Milwaukee. In the race that started on Sunday, O'Ward was rather unnoticed for most of the race. His team actually had a botched pit stop, but it did not hurt them that much. During the final pit cycle, O'Ward leaped into the lead, especially after Will Power sped entering the pit lane. In the race that started on Saturday and finished on Sunday, O'Ward again found himself at the front and he took advantage of David Malukas stumbling on a late restart to take the lead and ultimately the victory.

What subjectively was his best race?

It must be Mid-Ohio because he beat his teammate and it was a key race as Lundgaard had won twice already at that point in season. This swung the intra-team battle from decisively being for Lundgaard to being rather split between the two drivers. Lundgaard ended up finishing better in the championship, but O'Ward finished with more victories, and it all started with this race.

What objectively was his worst race?

An opening lap spin in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis shuffled O'Ward to the back after he started on the front row. The team made an attempt to go off strategy, but all he could manage was 18th.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Considering his history at Barber Motorsports Park, it was stunning he was poor this past March, and he was 17th, dropping from 12th on the grid. He also cost himself a top ten finish in Washington, D.C. when he went long in turn six and had to spin around in the runoff area. This unforced error ended in a 16th-place finish.

Patricio O'Ward's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 4th (522 points)
Wins: 3
Podiums: 3
Top Fives: 10
Top Tens: 11
Laps Led: 238
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 6
Fast Twelves: 10
Average Start: 7.833
Average Finish: 7.667

Nolan Siegel

Pressure was on Siegel before the calendar flipped to 2025 let alone before the season even started. McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan said Siegel had to finish in the championship top ten to keep his ride with the team. Siegel never came close to fulfilling that ultimatum. It was still Siegel's best season in IndyCar, but significantly behind his teammates.

What objectively was his best race?

On a four-stop strategy, Siegel was sixth in Washington, D.C. He spent almost the entire race in the top ten, and as other drivers had issues, Siegel remained pointing in the right direction.

What subjectively was his best race?

It is Washington, D.C., but Siegel also was tenth at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis and Mid-Ohio. In both races did Siegel move forward. Mid-Ohio is probably his next best race because he at least made it a triple top ten day for McLaren as his teammates went 1-2.

What objectively was his worst race?

Three times did Siegel finish 24th. At Arlington, Siegel was hit from behind on the final restart and the contact from Kyffin Simpson sent Siegel into Romain Grosjean. At Gateway, slight contact with Álex Palou entering turn one ended Siegel's night as Palou was on fresh tires and quicker entering the corner. Siegel turned in and they collided. In the Laguna Seca finale, Siegel never had the pace and dropped to 24th, one of two drivers to finish off the lead lap.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Gateway is bad because Siegel tried to pin the accident on Palou, and it was a racing incident. At Road America, Siegel should have had a top ten finish, but contact on the final lap in turn five with Josef Newgarden spun Siegel and dropped him to 21st. Siegel had a really good Road America race and got nothing to show for it.

Nolan Siegel's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 20th (259 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 3
Laps Led: 8
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 1
Average Start: 17.333
Average Finish: 15.777

An Early Look Ahead

Can we acknowledge the insanity of a team firing the driver that finished third in the championship and who won multiple races because of the perception he cannot win the Indianapolis 500? Lundgaard was the best McLaren driver this season and he was dismissed because of his track record in one race. The Indianapolis 500 is the biggest race, but there are 16 or 17 other races on the calendar and an entire championship. 

McLaren hasn't produced an Indianapolis 500 winner but it has hired Indianapolis 500, and that should do it. 

The team is plenty capable of winning it and it is a few passes away from having two within the last five years. It is the one-track mind that is baffling, especially when it is hiring Scott Dixon after his worst season in over 20 years and while Dixon is 46 years old. There is a lot of hope in McLaren's strategy, and hope isn't a strategy.

Dixon could see an uptick in form from 2026, but we don't see many 46 years old bounce back from a winless season. 

It also wasn't that long ago McLaren couldn't get rid of Felix Rosenqvist fast enough. Regret was on their faces during the first practice session for the Swede. He was going to be exiled to Formula E at one point. Now he won the Indianapolis 500 and McLaren is back at his doorstep only a few years after it didn't entirely click within the organization. 

Changes go beyond the driver lineup as McLaren is shaking up its engineer department. Chip Ganassi Racing performance director Chris Simmons has been linked to a move to McLaren, though Simmons may have a non-compete that prevents him from starting immediately with the team. Ross Bunnell, Rosenqvist's engineer last season, will be joining McLaren, and will likely remain on Rosenqvist's timing stand. Simmons had a long-working relationship with Dixon. 

After years of chasing drivers, McLaren is snagging engineers as well. It could be what puts it over the top. It is also McLaren, which has been making big swings and whiffing for years. Ok, maybe it is making some contact, but after seven seasons in IndyCar, it still hasn't won a championship. It still hasn't won an Indianapolis 500. It has become a contender, an entity worth watching, but it hasn't surpassed Ganassi, it hasn't surpassed Penske, and it arguably hasn't surpassed Andretti. It is fourth, but this isn't a "Big Four." There isn't a "Big Three." There is competition, but McLaren hasn't ruled IndyCar, and it probably thought it would have conquered it by now. 

This team is Patricio O'Ward. Rosenqvist won the Indianapolis 500, but that is still his only victory in the last five years. Is McLaren really the difference between him not converting those pole positions and front row starts he earned with Meyer Shank Racing into victories? Probably not. Rosenqvist isn't any different than when McLaren fired him except he has an extra accolade to his name. It is hard to believe a change of scenery is all Dixon needed after one bad year. He might not be as bad as he was in 2025, but that doesn't mean he will be back to being a contender. He has only won once in the last 46 races and he had only one top five finish last season.

You can only feel comfortable with one driver producing for this team entering 2027. This seismic change isn't going to lead to seismic results. We have seen these shakeups not produce at McLaren. It feels unlikely this one will be much different. 

IndyCar Wrap-Up: Team Penske's 2026 Season

We are reaching the final stretch of our IndyCar Wrap-Up, and we reach Team Penske, which was good in 2026, and that was about it. Good, but not great, and this is where Team Penske has been for the last two seasons. While the team cracked the championship top five after being shut out last year, it only won three races. This was the second consecutive season the organization failed to crack four victories, a first for the team since 2004-05. It was the first time since 1997-99 Team Penske went consecutive seasons without a top-four championship finisher. It should not feel overwhelmingly negative after this season, but positivity is nearly nonexistent. 

David Malukas

Despite having not won a race in his first four IndyCar seasons, Malukas earned the call to Team Penske. He had never finished in the top five on a road or street course in his first four seasons. He had only five top five finishes in his first 61 starts. While he was coming off his best championship finish, this was a momentous opportunity for Malukas, and his greatest shot in IndyCar. The moment was not too great for him. 

What objectively was his best race?

Malukas was runner-up in three races this season: The Grand Prix of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis 500 and the Milwaukee race that began on Saturday. The Grand Prix of Indianapolis was his first podium finish on a road or street course. 

What subjectively was his best race?

Second place in the Indianapolis 500 is supposed to feel painful. I am sure it is agonizing to finish second by 0.0233 seconds, the closest finish in race history. It should not overshadow how well Malukas ran in that race and that he led the third-most laps. He looked comfortable and made moves to put him in position to lead on the final lap, even if it was not enough to finish first. 

The Milwaukee race that started on Saturday should be recognized because Malukas was one of the best cars, and if it wasn’t for a stumble in his engine on a late restart, he likely would have held off Patricio O’Ward. Instead, O’Ward bolted through and took the victory. 

Even the IMS road course race should get a mention because Malukas had never had a road or street course race like that. He was leading entering the final phase of the race, and Christian Lundgaard took advantage of traffic and warmer tires to take the lead after the final pit cycle. It didn’t finish how Malukas wished, but he should be proud about the entire race went.

What objectively was his worst race?

Clipping the barrier on entrance of the final turn at Washington, D.C. ricocheted Malukas into the outside barrier and placed Malukas 24th in the final result. It was Malukas’ only retirement of the season. 

What subjectively was his worst race?

Two of his three runner-up finishes are his worst races, but they weren’t bad races. Indianapolis hurts because it appeared he had it in the bag. Malukas took the lead at the start of the final lap and second and third proceeded to run side-by-side for about 80% of the lap. It should have been game over. The field should have lost its momentum and Malukas should have held on for one laps, and yet he didn’t. 

Milwaukee was in his hand. The match was on his racket and an error occurred. He was in control and it fell out of his grasp seemingly without Malukas doing anything wrong.

David Malukas's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 5th (514 points)

Wins: 0
Podiums: 6
Top Fives: 9
Top Tens: 13
Laps Led: 282
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 9
Fast Twelves: 12
Average Start: 8.1667
Average Finish: 7.1667

Scott McLaughlin

After a winless 2025 season, McLaughlin was hoping to return to his top tier form in 2026. For the first half of the season, McLaughlin was hardly notable. Good races were not frequent. He was a little more consistent over the summer, but he was still not outstanding. The final two weekends swung McLaughlin’s season mightily, and he ended on one of the highest notes. 

What objectively was his best race?

McLaughlin ended a 35-race winless drought in the Laguna Seca season finale. McLaughlin led from pole position and went on to lead 87 of 95 laps. He never fully pulled away from Kyle Kirkwood, but McLaughlin was never under much pressure. 

What subjectively was his best race?

It is Laguna Seca. McLaughlin was the best driver in this race. It was probably the only time he was one of the best drivers in a race. St. Petersburg should receive a mention as well, another race where he started on pole position only to lose the lead through pit cycle to Álex Palou.

What objectively was his worst race?

McLaughlin went for the lead late in Washington, D.C. On a late restart, McLaughlin dove up the inside of Kirkwood entering turn one. McLaughlin got ahead, the only problem is he had to avoid the barrier and he drove straight into it. Instead of first, McLaughlin was 22nd. 

What subjectively was his worst race?

It is Washington, D.C. because of the lost result, but McLaughlin had a handful of races where he did not factor. He wasn’t good at Barber Motorsports Park, finishing 16th. Contact with Will Power cost him a possible top five in Detroit, taking 19th instead. He never had the pace at Mid-Ohio. 

Scott McLaughlin's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 6th (483 points)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 4
Top Fives: 7
Top Tens: 12
Laps Led: 189
Poles: 3
Fast Sixes: 6
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 8.722
Average Finish: 8.777

Josef Newgarden

After nearly going winless and having his worst championship finish in over a decade, Newgarden was hoping for a bounce back in 2026. He didn’t have to wait until the last day of the season for a victory, however, the overall season was not a return to his top form. It was an improvement but the struggles continued, and an injury suffered in the Indianapolis 500 plagued the rest of his year. 

What objectively was his best race?

Newgarden won twice this season. The first victory was at the second race of the season at Phoenix when a late caution saw Newgarden make a pit stop for fresh tires. Those tires proved to be the difference as Newgarden worked his way from tenth to first in a race where Newgarden did not show great potential for victory until he had the tire advantage.

 

The second victory was at Gateway, and Newgarden spent much of this race in the top five. He did not lead the most laps but he timed it to lead late and led 52 of the final 57 laps on his way to victory. 

What subjectively was his best race?

The Phoenix drive was impressive, but the tires largely decided that race. Gateway saw Newgarden run at the front and be one of the best drivers. He didn’t lead 200 laps, but he paced himself for the final stint and asserted his dominance as the laps wound down. Even when running second or third, it felt like Newgarden was always going to win at Gateway. 

What objectively was his worst race?

An accident on a restart in the Indianapolis 500 placed Newgarden 28th despite running in the top five at the time. This accident left Newgarden with a left foot injury that saw him in a walking boot for much of the remainder of the season. 

What subjectively was his worst race?

Indianapolis hurt his season. Though Newgarden won at Gateway with the injury, he struggled mightily at road and street courses afterward. He salvaged some respectable results but he was not at 100% and running as well as he could. It didn’t cost him victories, but days where he barely held onto the top ten or snuck into the top ten could have been races he was pushing for the top five. 

Road America should be mentioned because contact with Nolan Siegel late led to a penalty and cost Newgarden a possible top ten result. 

He also had an odd outing in the Milwaukee race that started on Sunday. He started strong, drove to the lead and then struggled on the long run and lost ground. He spun exiting turn four and it cost him a potential top five result. 

Josef Newgarden's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 8th (423 points)
Wins: 2
Podiums: 3
Top Fives: 3
Top Tens: 4
Laps Led: 88
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 4
Average Start: 12.222
Average Finish: 11.055

An Early Look Ahead

Team Penske is at an odd spot because its best driver in the championship went winless and its worst driver in the championship was responsibility for most of the team’s victories, and the team’s most confident driver at the end season is likely the driver that finished in the middle. 

This team was a whisker away from winning the Indianapolis 500, and it probably should have won another two races. This was closer to a great season than a terrible season even if it doesn’t feel that way. 

Nobodies job security feels safe. 

Malukas is exciting, but he must win eventually. He should. He should have already, but it might not happen. Then what?

McLaughlin ended with a victory, but he also essentially went two full seasons without a victory. We are one result away from saying 2027 is make-or-break, and there is a chance we could be saying that come this time next year. 

Newgarden is winning races, but his overall form has been subpar and he has not shown competitive pace on road/street courses for basically three seasons, you know, the part that makes up two-thirds of the schedule. Not to forget mentioning Newgarden feels emotionally withdrawn from the team, especially after the 2024 push-to-pass scandal. 

There is a greater than zero chance Penske could have three new drivers in 2028. It isn’t high but it exists and that sounds crazy. That is the worst case scenario for 2027. 

Somewhere in the middle, but not quite the best case scenario, is all three drivers are winning races next year, they are a little better in the championship and one, if not two, of them have a good chance at the title. There is a world where Penske wins six races and goes second, third and sixth in the championship, and it feels like Penske never took a dip. 

It feels like everything is on the table for Team Penske, good and bad, I am not sure any other team can say that, especially for the worst outcomes. It will likely work out, and everything will be close to average, but this does not feel like a locked down and secure unit like we are used to with Team Penske. 

All three drivers are on a hot seat and need results in a sense despite all three being rather productive in 2026. There will be a pressure to perform and it will add a layer to next season. With this level of uncertainty, change feels inevitable. 

Musing From the Weekend: Winning at Team Penske

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

The Bathurst 1000 had an unprecedented race and finish for the ages. What is the point of sprint races? At least in Formula One, but even in MotoGP as it will have a new weekend format with a dedicated sprint qualifying session. NASCAR punted on Saturday due to weather, creating a doubleheader on Sunday, and an excellent finish. The final Indianapolis 8 Hour took place. The new IndyCar chassis will be testing at Sebring. However, this week, we cover something I have been thinking about for quite some time, I just hadn't gotten around to it. 

Winning at Team Penske

It feels like everyone who drives for Team Penske in IndyCar ends up winning. That is kind of part of the deal. Team Penske hires the best and they are expected to be the best. Team Penske doesn't hire anybody. The team attracts the best talent around, and with some of the best engineers and crew members in the paddock, all the pieces are there for Team Penske drivers to win races. 

It feels like they all win. Who is the last Team Penske driver to end up empty-handed? 

With such a track record, it makes you think it is the team leading to all this success, and really anybody could win. Is that what the track record says? 

Thirty-eight drivers have started an IndyCar race for Team Penske. Twenty of those drivers have won a race. That is just over half, but consider of the 18 drivers that did not win in their time with Team Penske, only three made ten starts or more. Twelve of those drivers made five starts or fewer. 

That rules out infrequent one-off drivers for Team Penske and the occasional substitute for injury, the likes of Bobby Allison, Mike Hiss, David Hobbs, Jan Magnussen, Johnny Rutherford, Alex Barron, Max Papis, Gordon Johncock and Oriol Servià. There is not much you can do when you are only around for a short time. 

Let's look at the 20 winners. They didn’t take long to win. The average number of starts it takes for a first victory at Team Penske is 8.5. Ten of the 20 winners won within their first five starts with Team Penske. Seven of the 20 drivers took more than ten starts, but five of those drivers took more than 15 starts. The most starts for that first career victory at Team Penske is 19. We will get back to that in a moment. 

Drivers are expected to win immediately at Team Penske, and they generally do. These are finished products joining the organization. These drivers do not have questions over their heads. There is no hope they will develop into something. They already are something. Team Penske knows what it is getting, and it should not take look for a victory to go their way. 

Nobody has taken more than 19 starts to score their first victory at Penske. Not many get that much longer of a leash. Three drivers made more than ten starts at Penske and never won. 

Kevin Cogan spent the 1982 season with Team Penske but was released after the one season that is remembered for Cogan's accident at the start of the Indianapolis 500 from second on the grid. His best finish that season was second at Pocono, and he started on pole position twice. 

André Ribeiro joined Penske in the 1998 season having previously spent three years at Tasman Motorsports, and he had three victories to his name. Ribeiro joined Team Penske when it was in the earliest stages of its worst funk. The Penske PC-27 chassis was horrendous. While Al Unser, Jr. got on the podium twice that season, the car was not contending for victories, and Ribeiro's best finish was seventh. The Brazilian retired at the end of the 1998 season where he started 18 races.

Then there is David Malukas. Having gone winless in his first season with Penske in 2026, Malukas is tied for the most starts for a Team Penske driver without a victory. If he does not win the 2027 season opener, Malukas will enter uncharted territories. No Team Penske driver has taken at least 20 starts to score his first career victory. 

No pressure.

The team that is largely seen as a no-nonsense organization, and it has a track record that backs it up. Everybody wins at Team Penske, but then again, the team has never had a driver that has stayed for an extended period without winning. 

Does that tell us anything for the near-future? 

It would be easy to believe Malukas will entered 2027 with the most pressure on him out of all the drivers on the grid. Team Penske has never had to judge whether or not to keep a driver after 20 or 25 or 30 or 35 starts without a victory. It could make the team's decision very easy come the end of 2027, but this is a different IndyCar. This isn't the 1980s or 1990s. Team Penske doesn't usually take on development projects, but Malukas is a special case based on the team's own history. 

While going winless, Malukas was the top Team Penske driver in the championship, and he was the top Penske driver in the championship for most of the season. Malukas had six podium finishes and nine top five finishes from 18 races. He was runner-up in his first Indianapolis 500 with the team, and he was 0.0233 seconds away from victory, the closest margin of victory in the event's history. 

Everyone wins by year two at Team Penske. Scott McLaughlin opened his second full season with a victory. Simon Pagenaud won in his second season with Team Penske after going winless in year one. Pagenaud holds the mark of most starts before first Penske victory. Paul Tracy won it what was his first full season, but third season after he was part-time in 1991 and replaced an injured Rick Mears in 1992. Most don't need a third year to show they can win at Penske. Those three examples won early in the seasons where they scored their first victories for the team.  

Penske may be willing to give Malukas a third year and see if that is enough to be lucky. Malukas just turned 25 years old on September 27. He was the fourth-youngest driver to ever run an IndyCar race for Team Penske behind only Paul Tracy, Jan Magnussen and Tarso Marques. Tracy is really the only other young driver Penske has taken and developed. Maybe Malukas gets a longer leash, and the team is willing to let him grow. Then again, if someone else is succeeding and beating Team Penske, Team Penske will make changes. It has a good eye for talent, and it usually can grab whatever driver it wants. 

Champions From the Weekend

Maxime Martin clinched the Intercontinental GT Challenge championship with a fifth-place finish in the Indianapolis 8 Hour.

Thomas Preining clinched the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters championship with finishes of fifth and third from Hockenheim. 

The #22 United Autosport Oreca-Gibson of Ben Hanley, Grégoire Saucy and Griffin Peebles clinched the European Le Mans Series LMP2 championship with a victory in the 4 Hours of Portimão.

The #17 CLX Motorsport Ligier-Toyota of Paul Lanchère and Alexander Jacoby clinched the European Le Mans Series LMP3 championship with victory in Portimão with third driver Louis Iglesias.

The #33 TF Sport Corvette of Charlie Eastwood, Blake McDonald and Alec Udell clinched the European Le Mans Series LMGT3 championship with a runner-up finish in Portimão behind the #75 Proton Competition Porsche of Matt Kurzejewski, Richard Lietz and Tom Sargent.

The #29 Turner Motorsport BMW of Robby Foley and Justin Rothberg clinched the GT World Challenge America championship with a third-place finish in the Indianapolis 8 Hour.

The #028 RS1 Porsche of Spencer Pumpelly and Luca Mars clinched GT4 America championship with finishes of tenth and 30th from Indianapolis. 

Albert Arenas clinched the World Supersport championship with a fourth-place finish in the first race from Estoril.

Winners From the Weekend

You know about a few champions, but did you know...

The #17 Dick Johnson Racing Ford of Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood won the 69th Bathurst 1000.

Max Verstappen won the Singapore Grand Prix, his second consecutive victory, and Verstappen also won the sprint race.

Marco Bezzecchi won MotoGP's Indonesian Grand Prix, his fifth victory of the season. Marc Márquez won the sprint race. Izan Guevara won in Moto2, his third consecutive victory and fourth of the season. Máximo Quiles won in Moto3, his tenth victory of the season.

The #32 GMG Racing Porsche of Kyle Washington, Riccardo Pera and Ayhancan Güven won the Indianapolis 8 Hour.

The #68 RAFA Racing Team Toyota of Westin Workman and Tyler Gonzalez swept the GT4 America races from Indianapolis. Peter Dempsey swept the GT America races.

Chase Briscoe won the NASCAR Cup race from Charlotte by 0.029 seconds over Christopher Bell. Corey Day won the Grand National Series race, his second consecutive victory and his fourth of the season. Layne Riggs won the Truck race, his seventh victory of the season. 

Lucas Auer and Mario Engel split the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters races from Hockenheim. 

Igor Fraga and Ayumu Iwasa split the Super Formula races from Fuji.

Nicolò Bulega swept the World Superbike races from Estoril. Tom Booth-Amos and Jeremy Alcoba split the World Supersport races.

Coming Up This Weekend

Max Verstappen will spend his Formula One off-weekend competing in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup finale from Portimão.

World Superbike closes 2026 with a round at Jerez.

The FIA World Endurance Championship keeps busy with its penultimate round from Barcelona.

NASCAR is at Phoenix.

Super GT will be at Autopolis.

2026 Road to Indy Review

We will take a breather from the IndyCar reviews for a moment, and we will turn our attention to the Road to Indy system. The remaining junior series wrapped up their championships a few weeks ago, as the USF Pro 2000 and U.S. F2000 championships closed their seasons with a standalone weekend at Road America. Indy Lights concluded with IndyCar at Laguna Seca. 

There were two tight championships and one that was settled almost immediate in the junior system. We will look back on these three championships and see how the drivers performed against expectations in Indy Lights while recapping the lower two series.

Indy Lights

Nikita Johnson: #21 Java House Dallara (1st, 585 points)

What did I write before the season: Johnson was a rising start a few years ago. A brief spell in Europe has slowed his development in the American junior system. However, he is back and focused. He could be a sleeper this season. Do not be surprised if he winds up on a few podiums and could challenge for a victory or two. A championship run is slim but not impossible.

How wrong was it: Johnson wound up with nine podium finishes and he won twice, but it was enough for him to take the championship by 29 points over Enzo Fittipaldi. Johnson started the year with two victories in the first three races and four podium finishes in the first five races. He had two podium finishes in the next seven races, but he ended with three runner-up finishes in the final five races.

What should he do in next year: All signs point to Johnson moving up to IndyCar and Dale Coyne Racing being the leading destination for his promotion. Not many open seats remain on the grid, but Johnson has not been linked to any of those other teams. 

Enzo Fittipaldi: #67 HMD Motorsports Dallara (2nd, 556 points)

What did I write before the season: Prior to last season, Fittipaldi had spent the better part of four seasons in Formula Two. Results were good as he was eighth in the championship in 2022 and seventh in 2023. His struggle was with consistency, and with Fittipaldi adjusting to ovals it could cost him. He should be in the championship top ten, but it is hard to envision him higher than about seventh.

How wrong was it: Fittipaldi was higher than seventh, he was second, and he won four times, the most in the series. However, he ended the season finishing fifth or worse in the final five races. He had four total results outside the top ten.

What should he do in next year: At 25 years old with four seasons in Formula Two, there is no sign where Fittipaldi will end up. There were rumblings over the summer of IndyCar interest, but those have gone quiet. A second season at this level would fill time but it might not be fulfilling. He could be one-and-done. 

Tymek Kucharczyk: #71 Mubi Dallara (3rd, 551 points)

What did I write before the season: Euroformula Open is not a deep championship. This is a big jump to Indy Lights. He and [Jack] Beeton are in a similar boat.

How wrong was it: For Beeton, I wrote he would be fighting to finish in the top fifteen and he will not be competitive. Kucharczyk ended up third in the championship, 34 points off Johnson, and Kucharczyk won twice with eight podium finishes. Sounds pretty competitive to me. 

What should he do next year: Kucharczyk has made it sound like he is not going to be back in single-seaters, which means he would be gone from Indy Lights. He had a remarkable debut season and showed great promise, significantly exceeding expectations.

Max Taylor: #28 Susan G. Komen/Simplify Dallara (4th, 470 points)

What did I write before the season: Taylor did well in USF Pro 2000 but not great. With his focus only on Indy Lights, he should be competitive and possibly could win a race, but fighting for the championship top five will be a good year. 

How wrong was it: Taylor wound up fourth in the championship. He opened the season with finishes of second and first. He had four podium finishes and five top five finishes in the first six races. He had one podium finish over the rest of the season, taking him out of the championship discussion.

What should he do in next year: Fresh off his 19th birthday, Taylor should spend another year in Indy Lights. It was a good year, but there were clearly room for growth. It is certainly possible, and it would set him up better for the future.

Lochie Hughes: #26 The McGinley Clinic Dallara (5th, 453 points)

What did I write before the season: Hughes will have higher expectations as he is the top returning driver from last year's championship, and there will be an expectation that he will take the title now that Dennis Hauger is gone. Hughes should be more of a threat. He should win a few more races.

How wrong was it: Hughes won fewer races in 2026, one fewer than 2025with only one victory. He had four podium finishes after scoring eight in 2025. He was never the championship leader. Nobody was ever challenging him.

What should he do in next year: A third year would not be bad for Hughes, but many do not spend three years in Indy Lights. He certainly must be better in year three should it come. Hughes' presence would only help the series.

Alessandro de Tullio: #14 AstroPay Dallara (6th, 442 points)

What did I write before the season: After starting strong last year, de Tullio was a surprise but the results could not remain that high for the entire season. He looked good in testing, and a few good results could follow this season. It does feel like he will fall short of the championship top five. 

How wrong was it: De Tullio was sixth in the championship, 11 points outside the top five in the championship. De Tullio won eight pole positions. He won two races, and finished first in another before being disqualified for having the wrong tires on the car. Trouble seemed magnetically attracted to de Tullio.

What should he do in next year: Spend a season in Indy Lights where he is not caught in accidents and reaches the full potential of his speed. He could have been a championship challenger if there were not so many tribulations.

Juan Manuel Correa: #68 Cusick Morgan Motorsports Dallara (7th, 389 points)

What did I write before the season: There were brief sparks of promise last season for Correa. This is a new operation. That could be a hinderance considering some of the drivers he is racing against. He should have enough to crack the championship top ten.  

How wrong was it: Correa was a fixture in the top ten with ten top ten finishes. Only one was a podium finish, and he had four top five finishes. These were good results. Nothing too special but better than most.

What should he do in next year: Next year, he will turn 28 years old. Not many 28-year-olds run in Indy Lights. Not many make it to IndyCar at 29 years old. Correa has a good track record in LMP2. His career could continue in sports cars.

Myles Rowe: #99 Force Indy Dallara (8th, 388 points)

What did I write before the season: Rowe made a big leap in 2025. He should be a championship contender alongside the likes of Lochie Hughes. Finishing in the top five of the championship is the bare minimum for this season, and it would be good if he could win a road or street course race. It isn't out of the question, but it will be tougher.

How wrong was it: Rowe dropped four spots in the championship. He did not win on a road or street course. He only won once, a tremendous victory at Gateway from last on the grid. He had another good run at Nashville. 

What should he do in next year: Rowe feels like he is at the end of the line. A fourth year in Indy Lights could not hurt. Rowe has been astonishingly good on ovals. His full form might not be ready for IndyCar full-time. No one is looking for oval-only drivers. An Indianapolis 500 one-off should be considered.

Jack Beeton: #45 Tailored Investment Solutions Dallara (9th, 382 points)

What did I write before the season: Not much. Barely competitive in the Formula Regional divisions. Indy Lights is much tougher. This is a much larger grid than past seasons. Top fifteen finishes could be good days.  

How wrong was it: In the first eight races, Beeton's best finish was ninth and his average finish was 12.75. In the final nine races, his average finish was 7.555 and he had three podium finishes. It was an unexpected turnaround.

What should he do in next year: Seeing as how he is just over a month from 19 years old and the stunning second half of the season, Beeton should return to Indy Lights and see how high he can climb.

Max Garcia: #12 USF Pro Championships Dallara (10th, 381 points)

What did I write before the season: Abel can produce quality cars, and Garcia was rather stellar in 2025. The grid is packed, but I think results will start to turn in Garcia's favor as the season goes along. A few podium results would be a good year. 

How wrong was it: Garcia only had two podium finishes, and they came late in the season. He had a strong drive to victory at Milwaukee and he was third in the first Laguna Seca race. He had a tough opening portion of the season, but he still scored ten top ten finishes.

What should he do in next year: Garcia doesn't turn 18 until March 17, 2027. He has no choice to stay, which would be a good thing. He showed growth and should continue to improve.

Josh Pierson: #29 The Crypto Companies Dallara (11th, 364 points)

What did I write before the season: Pierson has been developing and this is about to be his fourth year in Indy Lights, but he is still only 20 years old. The time has come to at least win a race. If he is the second-best Andretti driver behind Hughes it will be a good season.

How wrong was it: Pierson did win a race, the first Laguna Seca race, but he was third best Andretti Global driver and his season was not sensational. He threw away a podium at Milwaukee. He had five finishes outside the top twenty.

What should he do in next year: All rumors were saying he was bound for IndyCar. Then IndyCar announced new licensing policies. Pierson could still be approved. He did win a race this year, he was sixth in the championship in 2025. He wouldn't be the worst driver approved to run in IndyCar. A.J. Foyt Racing could use the money. He turns 21 years old on Valentine's Day. A fifth season at this level would be the limit. If the Foyt deal is not approved, I imagine he will be off elsewhere.

Matteo Nannini: #20 ENVE Motorsports Dallara (12th, 362 points)

What did I write before the season: Your guess is as good as mine. It has been nearly three years since Nannini last competed. Results will be better than some, but it is unlikely he will be a regular challenger and turn some heads.

How wrong was it: Nannini inherited a victory after de Tullio was disqualified in the second Road America race, and then Nannini won from pole position at Nashville. He had one other top five finish al season. He finished outside the top ten in 11 races, five of those were finishes of 19th or worse.

What should he do in next year: Nobody saw Nannini returning in 2026. If he has the funding, I can imagine a two-time race winner remaining in the series. He is technically considered qualified for IndyCar, no questions asked. Keep that in mind. 

The Rest of the Field

Nobody outside the top 12 in the championship finished out the podium in 2026. 

Seb Murray was 13th. None of the four Chip Ganassi Racing cars were better than 14th in the championship. Salvador de Alba went from fifth in the championship to 16th and he didn't run three of the final four races. Jacob Abel returned for the final four races when Jordan Missig round out of funding. Abel had a pair of top five finishes and a ninth. Extrapolate Abel's 25.25 points per start, and he was on pace for seventh in the championship.

What Comes Next?

It feels like Johnson is only driver bound for IndyCar. There is a chance none of the championship top three return next year. It has been a quiet Indy Lights offseason. No one has been announced for next year, which is strange. You would think someone would announce a return with the plan for a two-year program.

The entire grid cannot change. There were nine rookies last year. I would say Johnson, Fittipaldi, Hughes, Correa and Rowe are the drivers from the championship top ten that will not return. I think Pierson ends up getting the IndyCar license. Does de Alba want to return for a fourth season? Does Bryce Aron want to return for a fourth season? Haven't we seen enough of Niels Koolen and James Roe? 

There is no clear favorite for next year, which means there is no clear next-great-IndyCar prospect on the horizon, at least not yet.

USF Pro 2000

How did the season transpire?

Jack Jeffers won two of the first four races, but did not win in the next eight races, and opened the door for Leonardo Escorpioni, who won five of the first 12 races. However, Escorpioni was unable to compete at Markham due to visa issues and he had to remain in the United States. Jeffers went first and second in Canada to retake the championship lead.

Though Escorpioni took second at Milwaukee while Jeffers was sixth, Jeffers maintained the championship lead heading into the Road America triple-header finale. Jeffers went onto to sweep the weekend and take the title while Escorpioni went third, second and fourth.

What was the turning point for the championship?

It was Markham and the absence of Escorpioni. Out of his control, he sacrificed serve and could no longer control the championship. It played into Jeffers control and he saw out the championship. Jeffers swept the final round, making it hard to argue he only won the championship because Escorpioni missed two races. 

This is the second time in as many years Jeffers has won a title because a rival had visa issues. Last year, Liam McNeilly was unable to return to the United States after he went home to the United Kingdom after he had won the first five races of the U.S. F2000 season. 

Who has a promising future?

Quirky visa issues aside, Jeffers has two titles in the junior series. He ended 2026 on a high note when he needed to.

Escorpioni skipped U.S. F2000 at 16 years old and nearly won the USF Pro 2000 championship. He turns 17 years old in January. 

Who was an unsung driver of the season?

Despite a poor start to the season, G3 Argyros ended the season with 11 top five finishes in the final 13 races, three of which were victories. This lifted Argyros to third in the championship. 

Thomas Schrage also started slowly and had a much better end to the season. Schrage won at Milwaukee and it highlighted a stretch of five consecutive top five finishes. 

Frankie Mossman started well with five podium finishes in the first eight races, but he did not score a podium finish for the rest of the season. Mossman did not win but he did crack the top five in the championship. 

Andrés Cárdenas came into USF Pro 2000, was quick in preseason testing, and did remarkably well for someone entirely new to the ladder system. Cárdenas won the second Markham race and he had six podium finishes in 18 races.

Who else should receive recognition?

Michael Costello won at Indianapolis Raceway Park, and he started the first ten races before running out of funding. 

Jacob Douglas and Mac Clark went 1-2 in the first race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Both only made it through the IRP round.

A few talented drivers didn’t see out the season. It is a shame at any level. 

U.S. F2000

How did the season transpire?

Sebastián Garzón swept the opening round of the season at St. Petersburg and never looked back. Garzón led the championship wire-to-wire. He opened the season with six consecutive podium finishes and nine consecutive top five finishes. Garzón’s final box score ends with four victories, 11 podium finishes and 14 top five finishes from 18 races. No came close to him all season.

What was the turning point for the championship?

The opening lap at St. Petersburg. No one else matched Garzón's consistency this season. Some drivers had pockets of success, but no one had the full season run that could challenge for the championship.

Who has a promising future?

Brad Majman took second in the championship won three races. Majman had five podium finishes in the first ten races. His second half was a little more rocky. He only had two podium finishes in the final seven races while having four results outside the top five, three of which were 13th or worse during that span.

Eddie Beswick was spotty. Beswick won four times, but he had four finishes outside the top ten. He never had more than two consecutive podium finishes.

Evan Cooley won at IRP and he had 11 top five finishes, but he also finished outside the top fifteen in four races, three of which were outside the top twenty. A rough patch in the summer hurt his championship hopes as he had for consecutive races where he did not finish better than tenth.

Oliver Wheldon was not old enough to run the season opener at St. Petersburg, but he ran the final 16 races and he swept the three pole positions for his debut weekend. Wheldon threw away some results, but he did win twice and he had seven podium finishes, good enough for fifth in the championship.

Who was an unsung driver of the season?

Anthony Martella had the third most victories this season with three (IMS road course, Road America, Mid-Ohio). The problem is Martella had six finishes outside the top fifteen in 15 starts. He only had six top five finishes. He did not run the finale at Road America because he contested the final four USF Pro 2000 races instead. He was fifth at Milwaukee but 16th, 15th and ninth at Road America. Martella was tenth in U.S. F2000, but he probably could have pushed for sixth in he ran the finale. 

Who else should receive recognition?

Karol Pasiewicz only ran the Portland round and he was 17th and sixth in those races, but Pasiewicz won the USF Juniors championship with six victories in the final ten races. He had 12 podium finishes form 16 races and won the championship by over 100 points. This could be a name to remember for the future.

The Chris Griffis Memorial Test will be held on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course over October 17-18 for the lower two series of the Road to Indy.

IndyCar Wrap-Up: Meyer Shank Racing's 2026 Season

We begin the second half of the 2026 IndyCar Wrap-Ups with the Indianapolis 500 winning team. It was highly probable Meyer Shank Racing would win a race in 2026, but I doubt many thought it would be the Indianapolis 500, let alone in one of the most dramatic finishes in the race's 110-year history. There probably should have been more. Meyer Shank Racing showed great pace with both cars, but races didn't line up for them. Engine woes did plague half this team at the start of summer. Results might not have been MSR's best on paper, but this season was far from a failure and one of its best since joining the series.

Felix Rosenqvist

In his first two seasons at MSR, Rosenqvist showed the capability to challenge for victories, but it had not quite worked out in his favor. He was putting himself in the right positions. That pace carried into another season, and Rosenqvist again showed how high MSR could compete at. For two years, a victory was just out of his grasp. It felt inevitable in 2026. Things were bound to line up for the Swede. They could not have aligned at a better time.

What objectively was his best race?

Rosenqvist won the Indianapolis 500 by 0.0233 seconds over David Malukas after a lap caution set up a one-lap dash for the race. Rosenqvist spent nearly the entire final lap side-by-side with teammate Marcus Armstrong before pulling ahead in turn four. It set up Rosenqvist to carry momentum off the final corner and was able to slipstream off Malukas and get to the checkered flag first.

What subjectively was his best race?

It is Indianapolis, and the final lap is something rather inconceivable. Malukas took the lead from Armstrong at the start of the final lap, and with the MSR cars side-by-side, it felt like the race was gifted to Malukas. All preconceived notions told us two cars side-by-side would lose too much time and allow the leader to get away. Somehow, despite running side-by-side for almost an entire lap, Rosenqvist still had a prayer off the final turn, and he was able to claw back all the ground and then some to take the lead.

What set-up Rosenqvist for victory was a pit strategy that had Rosenqvist stop just as each of the final two pit windows opened and it took a good day and allowed it to be greater because they went off-strategy. It gave Rosenqvist track position and it put him in the lead in the closing stages, allowing him to be in the picture for the photo finish.

What objectively was his worst race?

At Markham, Rosenqvist suffered fuel pressure issues and his race was over after 18 laps, too early for any pit stops to take place and see how strategy could have played out for this group.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Rosenqvist had a number of less-than-impressive results this season. He lost a top ten finish at Arlington fo making a pass before a restart zone and was classified in 19th. Opening lap contact ruined his Grand Prix of Indianapolis and it put him in a spot where Kyffin Simpson cutting off Rosenqvist ended Rosenqvist's day. Rosenqvist threw away at least a top five finish if not a podium finish when he spun in Washington, D.C. after Scott McLaughlin hit the barrier in front of him, and Rosenqvist grazed the barrier enough to damage his car. Milwaukee was a bad weekend when it started so well in the first race that started on Saturday. 

These aren't terrible results, but his two runner-up finishes should be mentioned. Both came from pole position at Long Beach and Portland. Both races saw Rosenqvist lead early and look like one of the best cars only for Álex Palou to jump Rosenqvist in the pit cycle. Rosenqvist was good, just not good enough in those races. They are still great days, but it highlighted this group was still not good enough to beat Palou.

Felix Rosenqvist's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 9th (412 points)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 3
Top Fives: 5
Top Tens: 7
Laps Led: 168
Poles: 2
Fast Sixes: 7
Fast Twelves: 9
Average Start: 9
Average Finish: 11.888

Marcus Armstrong

Expectations were up for everyone at MSR, Armstrong included as the team had both cars crack the championship top ten in 2026. Though Rosenqvist was the veteran and team leader, Armstrong was clearly comfortable and quick enough to be a factor for the team. Mechanical issues derailed Armstrong's season. His worst results came after a spat of engine failures, knocking down what was otherwise strong form.

What objectively was his best race?

Armstrong's best finish all season was fifth, first at Phoenix and then at the Indianapolis 500. He was leading coming to the final restart for the Indianapolis 500 after quickly taking the lead on the restart before that. He was 0.0155 seconds from finishing third at Indianapolis after Scott McLaughlin and Patricio O’Ward split him coming to the finish line.

What subjectively was his best race?

Indianapolis should be mentioned because Armstrong benefitted from the MSR strategy of stopping once the pit window opened to make it on two stops and it put him in a spot to be in the top five and potentially win the race. 

His best race was Road America where Armstrong led 14 laps, and the cautions fell into his favor. He had a clear shot at victory though Christian Lundgaard was closing. It felt like Armstrong had enough of a gap to hold on for victory. Then his engine failed three laps from the finish on the main straightaway. What should have been a victory turned into a 24th-place finish, perhaps the best 24th-place finish we have seen in quite some time. 

What objectively was his worst race?

At Portland, Armstrong lost his engine after 33 laps and he was the lone retirement from the race. Everyone else completed at least 106 laps. Armstrong was last in 25th. It was his third engine failure in four races. He was 24th at Nashville the race prior due to an engine expiring.

What subjectively was his worst race?

It is Road America because it should have been victory and it vanished from Armstrong through no fault of his own. It derailed Armstrong's season, and it was the start of a four-race stretch where he suffered three engine failures. He was classified 24th or worse in all three events. After having five top ten finishes and eight finishes in the top 11 through the first nine races, Armstrong had only two top ten finishes in the final nine races and an average finish 16.888, over six spots worse than his average in the first half of the season.

Marcus Armstrong's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 14th (320 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 2
Top Tens: 7
Laps Led: 29
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 4
Fast Twelves: 7
Average Start: 11.888
Average Finish: 13.555

An Early Look Ahead

Meyer Shank Racing will go into 2027 without its Indianapolis 500 winning driver but with a driver line-up with ramped up expectations that has yet to show either driver can be a contender in IndyCar.

Marcus Armstrong has run well in IndyCar, and his consistency has been quite respectable. He probably should have won a race, but for how well as he has run, we have not seen him be a constant figure competing for race victories. He has been competing for top ten finishes and top five finishes, and sometimes being a spot or two better than where he has mainly run, but he has not been regularly in the fight for victories. The Indianapolis 500 and Road America this year were really his first two races where he was a true contender for victories.

Mick Schumacher will join Armstrong, and Mike Shank has already set the bar. He expects Schumacher to compete for top ten in the championship. This is asking a lot of a driver who was 23rd as a rookie, albeit driving for one of the weaker sides in IndyCar and spending most of the season dealing with a broken wrist, which was suffered in the season opener in an incident that was not Schumacher's fault. 

It does not feel like MSR has a leader in its lineup. It is a ripe opportunity for either driver to establish some control. 

I don't see how either can replicate what Felix Rosenqvist accomplished, and I am not talking about an Indianapolis 500 victory. I am talking about a driver who can win multiple pole positions, be a regular in the Fast Six and factor semi-regularly in road/street course races and be close to a level of Palou. Rosenqvist may have not won those road and street course races, but he at least put himself in the mix even if Palou or someone else came out on top. 

I am not sure Armstrong can do that. He has done well but not quite been at that level, and the few times we have seen him qualify in the top five, he has stumbled in the race. Some of those were unforced errors. 

Schumacher looked better at the end of the season and he looked more comfortable. I am not sure we have seen enough to think it is realistic for him to turn into a top ten championship driver. His oval form was better than we expected. Jumping up to 15th with be a significant improvement for Schumacher, but MSR wants more than that. 

I don't think both MSR cars will finish in the top ten of the championship in 2027. One car might be one too many for MSR. It is very difficult to finish in the top ten in IndyCar. Will Power and Scott Dixon were outside the championship top ten this year. It would not be unthinkable that Alexander Rossi could rediscover form and get back in the championship top ten. If Christian Rasmussen can covert his oval pace into more consistent finishes and if he can modestly improve on road and street courses, Rasmussen could contender for the championship top ten. MSR could have a respectable year and have both cars finish outside the championship top ten.

There will be some growing pains as this team has changed. I don't think the bottom will fall out and send MSR back to where it was in 2022 and 2023, but I don't think MSR is a lock for a top ten championship finisher every year just because it is MSR and the last two years have been the best this team has been in IndyCar. The IMSA program is gone and it will put all focus on the IndyCar effort, but that doesn’t mean the results will come. MSR could remain in the top ten, but it will be a mighty challenge to retain that spot.

Musings From the Weekend: Growing Fonder

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

A handful of championships were handed out this weekend. Some were decided simply with a start of an engine. Some had two of three championship challengers fall out almost immediately in a ten-hour race. Others were a little more fierce. The World Rally Championship had an astonishing conclusion. The Asia-Pacific region starts a busy period for it in the motorsports world, and one stop was unexpected at the start of the year. Formula One returned to Malaysia as Sepang hosted the Bahrain Grand Prix, and nine years after it last hosted a race, Max Verstappen won again. Sepang was a popular inclusion to this year's calendar though it was not originally planned.

Growing Fonder

Sometimes, things just work out. 

Watching the Formula One live from Malaysia was not going to work out based on time schedules. When the last race held in Sepang was held, it would be without question I would watch it live and not think twice about what Sunday would be like despite the early wake-up. Things change in nine years. 

Nine years ago, it was cable television, it was wonky commercials you would not see at any other hour but 4:00 a.m. In 2026, the body was shaken awake at 4:40 a.m. It was a little earlier than planned, but I was up and the plan was always to start the race once the debris was cleared from the corners of my eyes. Popping open AppleTV and starting the stream from the start, I found a startlingly note. The race had been delayed. 

Sliding along the timeline and watching the hours grew closer to the present, an excitement grew that I had not missed much of the race at all. The race began about five minutes before waking up. I was caught up and watching live with the world after the opening pit stops for the Valtteri Bottas safety car. 

Sometimes, things just work out.

Even while watching delayed, a warmth settled inside of me as the damp conditions threw the race into a tizzy. The Mercedes jumped out to first and second. Max Verstappen was third after holding off Liam Lawson. Ferrari botched the strategy with both cars remaining on the slick tires. McLaren at least split their cars. The order was flipped with a few teams gaining a half-dozen spots or more based on tire choice. The track surface didn't dry as fast as some expected, but it was getting there. The first wet race of the 2026 Formula One season washed away any dull moments. I loved every second of it.

The love might have been in a slumber. Ever since this race was announced, a chunk of Formula One fans were ecstatic for Sepang's return, a track that had not featured on a Formula One calendar since 2017. When Malaysia fell off the schedule, Formula One was looking for something else. The French Grand Prix was returning. It did not feel like much were lost. Netflix cameras were about to start following in the paddock. There was some plan for a docuseries.

I enjoyed Sepang. I never felt it was a staple on the Formula One calendar. It had always been there. I didn't know a Formula One without Malaysia, growing up during the global expansion of the world championship that seemingly has never ended during the 21st century. I didn't feel like Sepang was Spa-Francorchamps or Silverstone or Monaco or Monza. It didn't feel like Formula One had to be there. It was a fine circuit, but it wasn't a case that every race was a banger and we could not imagine Formula One without it. There were plenty of circuits like it. Plus, there was still MotoGP and I could see it every year.

Separation makes the heart grow fonder. 

For the modernity of the Sepang International Circuit, it has a flowing characteristic many modern circuits miss. In my youth, I remember a broadcast where Steve Matchett, or it could have been David Hobbs, once said the best tracks were the ones where drivers felt like they were going somewhere. Sepang has that quality. Even though it isn't the longest circuit and it wasn't based on roads from over 60 years ago, Sepang's dips and rises make it feel like proper roads. The sweeping bends make each lap feel like a journey through the South Pacific archipelago. 

Millennials are going to be obnoxious with nostalgia. The things from their youths will be held too high as flawless. Don't we all do the same when remembering the past? It was always better, greater than the world has ever been. 

An exhausting number held Sepang's absence from the Formula One calendar as some travesty and this was a long-awaited return. No one was that broken when it fell off after 2017. Nostalgia was kicking in. For a generation, Sepang was familiar. I feel its place in the calendar helped. Long being one of the first rounds of the season, it was associated with a return of Formula One, taking place during cool mornings at the end of winter or start of spring, a time when it was best to remain in. Tropical conditions provided warmth through the television screen. Being early in the season, it could also provide a mix in results. Everyone was still getting a handle on their new cars. 

Even if some need to readjust or at least have a more realistic grip on the past, this race was wonderful to see, but it speaks to the power of Formula One in 2026. 

I am not sure more people have shown up to see a Sepang race. That was a far different visual than the last time Formula One held a race there. Formula One has never been bigger. Malaysia knows it. With the lack of a race over the past nine years, this was their moment to see a grand prix. They don't know if there will ever be another one. This isn't the only part of the world that would have the same thing. There are probably a dozen or two-dozen places where if a Formula One race popped up tomorrow, over 100,000 locals would show up because when is this circus going to be around again?

There aren't many circuits in the world that can host Formula One. Not many circuits have hosted Formula One, period. Only 77 circuits have held a grand prix. A given Formula One calendar nearly has a third of the circuits to ever host a grand prix. That puts into perspective how scarce Formula One is in this world. Many places do not hold a grand prix in a given year. Most places never have a grand prix come to town. Formula One has grown to a level that in almost any corner of a globe, it would pack any racetrack it set up camp. Seeing Sepang's success, I wish there was a way Formula One could be more available.

The strange thing about motorsports, compared to other individual sports, it doesn't bounce around as much as others. For golf, tournaments rotate, especially the biggest events. Three of the four major events are at a different golf course every year. The Ryder Cup and President's Cup are always at a different venue. Some tournaments are always at the same place, but even some smaller tournaments rotate. Different communities get to host and attract the atmosphere of the competition. Motorsports doesn't do that. 

In motorsports, a calendar is set, and if they ran at the same two-dozen tracks every year for the rest of eternity, no one would bat an eye. Look at how much the NASCAR calendar hasn't changed, and it has changed significantly since the 2020s began. 

There is no drive from motorsports to constantly be searching for somewhere new or spreading itself further. It is not a yearly effort. Series are not looking to see new places. The calendar is not changing with 20% of the round being held at different circuits than the year before with some returning and others being entirely new. Most of that is down to money. Some places pay to have a race every year. Other places cannot afford to hold a race. Saving all the pennies to pay for one race is not worth to track and series. We are left going to the same places over and over again. 

Formula One is positioned to be different. With the expansion of its calendar and 25 races being the goal, it should make an effort to have a few rotating events to see all corners of the globe. There are plenty of locations that should be locks on the calendar, and in a way Formula One is starting to rotate. We are going to see Spa-Francorchamps and Barcelona alternate starting in 2027, though I am not sure Spa-Francorchamps should not be one of those rotating places. Perhaps that will cause me to love it even more. 

Maybe this should be a norm, or at least something we become more comfortable with. Maybe there are 18 or 20 races that are locks, and the final four to seven races are a rotation. I have already expressed my interest of the European Grand Prix returning as a way to visit some circuits that cannot fit on the schedule every year. Maybe the South Pacific could have another race, allowing for Malaysia to be a semi-frequent stop while also bringing Formula One to Thailand and we could finally see Vietnam host after it was supposed to six years ago, and maybe Formula One could go to Indonesia as well. 

It could be the way South Africa and Kyalami returns to the schedule. A southern hemisphere round could flip across the Atlantic between there and Argentina. Throw in New Zealand and three-quarters of the Rugby Championship sides could share a grand prix. 

I am not sure the Persian Gulf requires having four rounds in one season, but maybe those nations can get three races and that extra spot can go somewhere else and a grand prix can be held in a place that has long been absent of Formula One.

When it comes to money, Formula One is fine. It can race anywhere in the world and it is going to rake in the dough. I hate that current sanctioning bodies in all sports are strictly driven on business. I wish there was more love in decisions. Formula One is so comfortable, it should decide it is going to race in South Africa or New Zealand or Finland or Colombia or Ireland because it can and it wants to be everywhere in the world and bring Formula One to people who do not have a grand prix, even if the race is only once every three or five or ten years. 

It is a dream that may never become reality, but it makes sense especially after seeing Sepang host this past weekend. The people are there who will support the race, and maybe they shouldn't have to wait nine years and for global conflict to see Formula One return. There should be more regular stops on the Formula One calendar even if they are not annual stops. Sepang showed the world is hungry for a grand prix, and the world is hungry for variety in grand prix. 

It may not be a classic track where the likes of Fangio, Clark and Brabham competed, but Sepang has a place in the Formula One world, and it should not be shut out indefinitely. That is probably true for a number of other venues and locations. If we learned anything from this weekend, the world championship has more of the world to include.

Champions From the Weekend

Jack Aitken clinched the IMSA GTP championship once he started Petit Le Mans from Road Atlanta.

The #7 Penske Porsche Motorsport Porsche of Laurin Heinrich, Julien Andlauer and Felipe Nasr clinched the GTP Endurance Cup championship with an eight-place finish at Petit Le Mans. 

The #04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR Oreca-Gibson of George Kurtz and Alex Quinn clinched the IMSA LMP2 championship with a class victory at Petit Le Mans with third driver Toby Sowery, as all three drivers won the LMP2 Endurance Cup championship as well.

The #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW of Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen clinched the IMSA GTD Pro championship with a third-place finish at Petit Le Mans, which also clinched the GTD Pro Endurance Cup championship.

The #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG of Philip Ellis and Russell Ward clinched the IMSA GTD championship with a class victory at Petit Le Mans with third driver Indy Dontje, as all three drivers won the GTD Endurance Cup championship as well..

Elfyn Evans clinched the World Rally Championship with a fifth place finish in Rally Italia Sardegna and a third on the power stage after Oliver Solberg crashed coming to the finish.

The #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche of Bastian Buus and Ricardo Feller clinched the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup with a second-place finish in the first race of the weekend from Barcelona.

Winners From the Weekend

You know about Max Verstappen and some of the Petit Le Mans winners, but did you know...

The 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche of Matt Campbell, Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor won Petit Le Mans. The #68 Car Blanche Aston Martin of Mattia Drudi, Valentin Hasse-Clot and Marco Sørensen won in GTD Pro.

Marc Márquez won MotoGP's Japanese Grand Prix, his sixth victory of the season, and Márquez also won the sprint race. Izan Guevara won in Moto2, his second consecutive victory and third of the season. David Almansa won in Moto3, his third victory of the season.

Chase Briscoe won the NASCAR Cup race from Las Vegas, his second victory of the season. Corey Day won the Grand National Series race, his third victory of the season.

Oliver Solberg won Rally Italia Sardegna, his third victory of the season. 

The #99 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi of Dylan Pereira and Alex Aka and the #69 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari of Ben Green and Thierry Vermeulen split the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup races from Barcelona.

Coming Up This Weekend

The 69th Bathurst 1000.

Formula One has a short jaunt to Singapore. 

MotoGP has a bit of a longer leap to Indonesia. 

Charlotte hosts an autumnal oval weekend for NASCAR. 

The Indianapolis 8 Hour caps off the Intercontinental GT Challenge season while GT World Challenge America puts a bow on its 2026 season at Indianapolis.

One of six drivers could leave Hockenheim as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters championship.

For the first time in two months, Super Formula competes with a doubleheader at Fuji.

World Superbike has its penultimate round in Portugal, Estoril to be specific. 

IndyCar Wrap-Up: Juncos Hollinger Racing's 2026 Season

The halfway point of IndyCar Wrap-Up reaches a team that had its best season in IndyCar. Prior to the 2026 season, Juncos Hollinger Racing had never had a car or driver finish in the championship top ten. It entered this year with an upgrade in lead driver with Rinus VeeKay. Onto his third midfield team, VeeKay wowed many with his 2025 season at Dale Coyne Racing. However, there is a limit to how much skill can overcome technical deficiencies. This pairing drew the best out of each other.  

Rinus VeeKay

In 2025, VeeKay made the most of his lifeline at Dale Coyne Racing and maintained finishing between 12th and 14th in the IndyCar every season of his IndyCar career. For him to extend that form for a seventh consecutive season, VeeKay would need to lift Juncos Hollinger Racing to a level it had never been. The combination went beyond that and was a feel-good story of 2026.

What objectively was his best race?

VeeKay took third in the Milwaukee race that began on Saturday but finished on Sunday evening. VeeKay went from 24th to third and had marvelous pace at the end. Using the lapped car of Scott Dixon as a pick, VeeKay was able to pass Scott McLaughlin for the final podium position. 

What subjectively was his best race?

It should be VeeKay’s entire summer because he found a way to be more present in the top five than the likes of Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Scott Dixon. Milwaukee was probably VeeKay’s best weekend, but he had strong drives at Gateway, Mid-Ohio and Portland. He spent the entire Portland race in the top five, something we had not seen a Juncos Hollinger Racing driver do ever. This level of consistency was partially unthinkable for this team and VeeKay drew it out of this group. 

What objectively was his worst race?

VeeKay was collateral damage after Marcus Armstrong got the braking wrong at Washington, D.C. and Armstrong clattered Christian Rasmussen into VeeKay. It left the Dutchman classified in 23rd.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Early contact with Álex Palou ruined VeeKay’s Phoenix race. VeeKay started eighth and essentially spent the entire race four or five laps down. Knowing what his pace was for the rest of the season, it feels like his Phoenix race was going to be promising had he made it through the first 21 laps without contact. It could have been a top ten day, maybe a top five day, but in the record book it will forever be a 22nd-place finish. 

Rinus VeeKay's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 10th (378 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 4
Top Tens: 8
Laps Led: 33
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 3
Fast Twelves: 5
Average Start: 14.333
Average Finish: 11.277

Sting Ray Robb

For the first time in his IndyCar career, Robb remained with the same team after switching shirts for his first three seasons. He showed better consistency and increased pace toward the end of his 2025 season. Remaining at the same team was hopefully going to extend his growth a little further in 2026. Ground was not made. 

What objectively was his best race?

In a messy Markham race, Robb was 11th at the checkered flag as seven of 25 starters retired and Dennis Hauger ran out of fuel on the final lap. Robb did start 15th, so it wasn’t a case that pace was entirely absent. 

What subjectively was his best race?

I don’t think any race was brilliant for Robb. I don’t think he did anything positively noteworthy. Nashville will get mentioned because he ran all 225 laps, the only oval he finished on the lead lap, and he finished five spots better than where he started, though largely because others made mistakes and Robb ran long on ever stint, never having a caution catch him out.  

What objectively was his worst race?

Robb ran into David Malukas after Malukas hit the barrier on exit of the final corner at Washington, D.C. Robb had nowhere to go and it left him 25th. It was Robb’s only retirement of the season. 

What subjectively was his worst race?

The last race at Laguna Seca because what stands out the most is Robb ran over the back of Dennis Hauger on the opening lap, Hauger’s season ended before he could complete a lap in the finale, Robb received a penalty, Robb finished a lap down in 23rd. He had 11 results outside the top twenty in 18 races, and he had 15 finishes outside the top fifteen. 

Sting Ray Robb's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 25th (182 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 0
Laps Led: 0
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 0
Average Start: 22.388
Average Finish: 19.888

An Early Look Ahead

I want to deconstruct this team’s future depending on a rumored ownership change. 

Brad Hollinger has been suggested as wanting to fully takeover the team from Ricardo Juncos and becoming the sole owner. Hollinger has essentially been a non-public owner. His name is on the door and the shirts, but he is not openly at the racetracks and giving interviews or making himself known. There are really no silent team owners in IndyCar.

Roger Penske owns the series. Chip Ganassi figuratively owns the series. Dan Towriss is not Michael Andretti, but he is around. Bobby Rahal is Bobby Rahal. David Letterman doesn’t hide in the shadows when he is attending races. Dale Coyne, Larry Foyt, Ed Carpenter, and Mike Shank are all on timing stands and actively involved in teams. Zak Brown is always talking when he is at a racetrack. Brad Hollinger is none of that, and it is interesting he would want to own a team outright.

Ricardo Juncos is open and engaged with the team and series. Juncos has been on the timing stand, an integral part of the team’s operations. Cutting out Juncos either means Hollinger wants to take on a greater role or he will hire his own figurehead to run it, which he arguably already has with the Juncos partnership. It sounds like there has been disharmony within JHR ownership for quite some time and one thing we know is a recipe for success in sports is infighting within an ownership group.

Does the off-track squabbling cause performance issues on the racetrack? It is certainly a concern. However, VeeKay is believed to be locked down for 2027, which means he is either going down with the ship or he can continue to carry this team forward. Robb is largely expected to be out of the team. VeeKay showed the team’s potential. He cracked the championship top ten and has the pace to compete for victories. Adding another driver of that caliber can only help the team. Where does that other driver come from?

Between an ownership takeover and a possible renewed partnership with Arrow McLaren after the 2024 partnership ended midseason following hostilities then-McLaren driver Théo Pourchaire received from fans after an incident with then-JHR driver Agustín Canapino, there isn’t a team in IndyCar with a more unpredictable offseason ahead of it, and Dale Coyne Racing has two potential openings that could remain unfilled until the start of March. Let’s not forget JHR dismissed Callum Ilott almost two months after the 2023 season and when Ilott was largely expected to continue with the team into 2024. Even what we think JHR has locked in for 2027 should not be held as gospel.

We really cannot write anything off for JHR, and this is all off the racetrack. It obscures what its future holds for on-track results. IndyCar is a series where the midfield changes rapidly and teams shoot up and down regularly. Just because JHR was in the top ten in 2026 doesn’t mean it will stay there for long,

Dale Coyne Racing was winning races and leading the championship with Sébastien Bourdais, and it hasn’t cracked the championship top ten since 2018. Ed Carpenter Racing hasn’t had a top ten championship finisher since Josef Newgarden. Two seasons ago, Santino Ferrucci was ninth with A.J. Foyt Racing, and now that partnership ended after neither Foyt car finished better than 17th. It wasn’t long ago Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has both cars in the championship top ten and now none of its three can crack the top fifteen. It wasn’t long ago Meyer Shank Racing could not crack the top fifteen and now it has two entries that compete for race victories and it just won the Indianapolis 500.

History suggests JHR is bound for a dip. Maybe VeeKay holds on for another season, but sustained success is not usual for a team of this size in IndyCar. If the form holds in 2027, it could be best to get out after that season because a third year of this level of competitiveness feels unlikely. However, this could be the point to get off the ride and it is too late. A rough ride could lay ahead.