IndyCar Wrap-Up: Dale Coyne Racing's 2026 Season

A little over a week has passed since the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season concluded from Laguna Seca, and we can now review the season that occurred through a team-by-team look. Though arguably not the worst team in 2026, we start with Dale Coyne Racing mostly because another team has news coming and we should wait until it is official before reviewing later this week. That aside, Dale Coyne Racing had a new lineup compared to the previous season, though it included a familiar face. There were high expectations after the results in 2025, but this season saw a falloff and a less competitive outfit, though still a few positive outings. 

Romain Grosjean

After a year off the IndyCar grid and spending 2025 as a reserve driver for Prema's lone IndyCar season, Grosjean returned to full-time competition in a return with Dale Coyne Racing. Five years after making a stellar IndyCar debut with Coyne, Grosjean was hoping to recapture some of that magic. The combination didn't come close to their first foray together.

What objectively was his best race?

Grosjean wound up on the podium at Markham mostly through strategy. Grosjean ran two longer stints, which were aided due to cautions that allowed him to go that long. He ended with stints at 36 laps and 38 laps, and the final pit stop was simultaneous with Kyle Kirkwood hitting the barrier. Grosjean led much of the final stint, but he had to save fuel and could not defend from Marcus Ericsson, who only had to run 22 laps on his final stint. Despite saving fuel, Grosjean took second.

What subjectively was his best race?

Markham is hard to argue against, but the Indianapolis 500 deserves attention because Grosjean went off-strategy like eventual race winner Felix Rosenqvist only for Grosjean to receive a penalty for passing under caution. Grosjean recovered and was able to get back into the top ten and remain there. Even with the late caution and late restart, Grosjean took ninth, his best finish in the Indianapolis 500.

What objectively was his worst race?

It is technically Phoenix because Grosjean had a clutch failure on the grid and never turned a lap. He was classified in 25th. If we are looking only at races where Grosjean took the green flag, he was 24th in the second Milwaukee race, which was the race that started on Sunday afternoon, after a pair of spins. Grosjean had a promising start in that race and was making ground before he spun the first time exiting turn two, and it cost him being on the lead lap.

What subjectively was his worst race?

There were plenty of races where Grosjean and Dale Coyne Racing were not a factor and we didn't really notice they were out there. The entire Milwaukee weekend is disappointing because he started ninth in the race that started on Saturday and then was trapped a lap down because of a pit stop before the rain delay and he never could recover. In the first race, it looked like Grosjean was going to drive in to the top ten and then one spin ended the promising start.

Barber was another disappointing weekend because Grosjean qualified sixth, it was the second time in four races he made the Fast Six, and Grosjean went backward on every stint and finished 15th. 

Romain Grosjean's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 19th (259 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 4
Laps Led: 32
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 2
Fast Twelves: 4 
Average Start: 16.444
Average Finish: 16.611

Dennis Hauger

With aid from Andretti Global, Hauger moved up to IndyCar after winning the Indy Lights championship. A partnership put the Norwegian driver into Coyne's second seat, and after the team's results in 2025, it appears to be a good spot for Hauger to grow especially with Andretti technical support. The season started strong in St. Petersburg, but that proved to be one of this team's highest points of the season. What should have been a fairly comfortable season as the top rookie proved to be much closer than expected.

What objectively was his best race?

In the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Hauger started 24th but he finished eighth thanks to other teams having their own issues, but Hauger made a few passes and looked racy. He made the most of the race car he had, which probably was starting further down the order than it should have been, but he turned that into a respectable result.

What subjectively was his best race?

Is it wrong to say St. Petersburg? Though Hauger started third and went backward the entire race, he spent basically every lap in the top ten. He had a good opening stint. It was a tenth-place finish on debut. 

What objectively was his worst race?

Like Grosjean, Hauger had a mechanical issue on the grid prevent him from starting a race. A fuel leak kept Hauger from turning a lap at Gateway, and he was classified in 25th. However, he had a 25th-place result on track as Hauger was spun into the barrier on the opening lap of the season finale from Laguna Seca. Sting Ray Robb ran over Hauger, and it closed Hauger's 2026 season prematurely.

What subjectively was his worst race?

It isn't one race, but it is a collection of races where Hauger started well and did not race well. He started in the top ten of four consecutive races, two of which were top five starts and he scored zero top ten finishes from it.

Ninth to 13th at Portland. 

Fifth to 15th at Markham.

Eighth to 15th at Washington, D.C.

Fourth to 21st in the Milwaukee race that started on Saturday afternoon.

At Portland, he spent much of that race on the edge of the top ten and couldn't quite get in there before the finish. He ran out of fuel on the final lap in Markham and he started that lap in 11th. He went backward in Washington, D.C., and like Grosjean he was trapped a lap down in the first Milwaukee race after making a pit stop before the rain came. He obviously had some comfort with the car to show that much speed, but it never translated in races. 

To give one specific race, Hauger was in the same pack as Felix Rosenqvist, Patricio O'Ward and Marcus Armstrong in the Indianapolis 500, and Hauger was running as high as third before these drivers made their final pit stop on the alternate strategy. Hauger sped in pit lane for his final stop and it cost him a possible top ten finish and it definitely cost him Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year as he ended up 19th, one lap down and  a position behind top finishing rookie Mick Schumacher. The Indianapolis 500 was nearly very special for Hauger. It was probably one of his best races of the season that is missed entirely due to one mistake

Dennis Hauger's 2026 Statistics

Championship Position: 22nd (228 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 2
Laps Led: 5
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 2
Fast Twelves: 4
Average Start: 17.111
Average Finish: 17.555

An Early Look Ahead

We haven't a clue how Dale Coyne Racing will look next season, and that is often the case for this team in the aftermath of a season. 

Will both drivers be back? Probably not. Coyne doesn't retain both drivers often. 

Will one driver be back? Possibly, but it is not strong in either case. Grosjean was the "hired" Coyne driver while Hauger was the "funded" Coyne driver. Hauger had some of his own sponsorship, but the Andretti Global tie helped secure that seat. Andretti Global has lost interest in its prospect and it will no longer back Hauger, especially since Andretti has locked up Marcus Ericsson over a multi-year extension, securing that three-driver lineup for the foreseeable future. 

Dale Coyne Racing is in limbo as it regularly is after a season has ended. We don't know what drivers will be there. We don't know if it will hire a rookie or find another veteran to bring back. We will likely not know where this team will stand come Thanksgiving or Christmas or possibly even Valentine's Day. There was a brief period when Coyne did have its drivers secured well before the holidays began. That was an aberration. This is a return to the norm. 

The team fell off. Both cars did finish in Leader Circle positions after one of the Coyne cars failed to qualify in the previous three seasons that is a boost to this team. Both Coyne cars also made the Indianapolis 500 for the first time since 2023 as well. The Leader Circle money will help as much as a $1.7-million bonus can entering a lame-duck season for the current generation of car and when a massive expense is about to be undertaken for new equipment. However, its cars were 19th and 22nd in the championship. In 2024, Coyne was semi-regularly in the top ten and competitive with Rinus VeeKay. 

It doesn't feel like 2027 will be a sizable leap forward or a return to 2025 form. The Andretti partnership did nothing with Hauger. There are some shortcomings you cannot overcome. Coyne had some speed, but it could not produce it when it matter most in races. It doesn't matter what drivers are put in those cars, no one is overcoming absence of race pace.

There is some belief Coyne will replace one Indy Lights champion for another, and 2026 Indy Lights champion Nikita Johnson has been linked to the team. It would be another young driver at Coyne as Johnson does not turn 19 years old until five days before the 2027 Indianapolis 500. 

While Johnson took the title, there was not much shown that suggests he is ready for IndyCar and will be a natural fit. He could bring some funding beyond the scholarship he receives for the championship. It would help with the finances but that does not guarantee the success on the track. Combining Johnson with Grosjean and Coyne's regular stable of engineers does not inject hope into the possible outcome of this team.

Of course, we could end up with something entirely different and something we cannot imagine in our minds for Coyne's 2027 lineup. It is another offseason where we look at Dale Coyne Racing, have no clue where it is going, and we will not really care even after its driver lineup is confirmed. Whatever decision is made, it is borderline irrelevant to how next season will play out. Someone will be champion, but it will not be Dale Coyne Racing as the Illinois-based team hopes to fight for the championship top ten, but might not even be good enough to crack the top fifteen. 

IndyCar Wrap-Up: Chip Ganassi Racing's 2025 Season

Our final IndyCar Wrap-Up has brought us to the champions, and for the third consecutive year it is Chip Ganassi Racing. For the third consecutive year, it is Álex Palou responsible for the crown. This time it is after an all-time great season. We always knew Palou was great. The year 2025 will be forever tied to the astonishing ability of Palou the way we tie 1964 to A.J. Foyt, 1969 to Mario Andretti and 1994 to Al Unser, Jr. and Team Penske. It has been six years with Palou, and we are just getting started.

Álex Palou

What else can be said? We went into this year fully expecting Palou to be the man to beat and difficult to topple at that. It is not surprising Palou won it all, but it was remarkable to see how he won this championship. We thought we had seen his best in 2023, but this year fully blew that out of the water.

What objectively was his best race?

Palou won eight times. No driver had won eight races in a season since 2007 with Sébastien Bourdais. For Palou, he opened with consecutive victories at St. Petersburg and Thermal Club. Then he was second at Long Beach. He followed that with victories at Barber Motorsports Park, the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, and the greatest of them all, the Indianapolis 500. 

Over the final 11 races, he won only a measly three times: Road America, the second Iowa race and Laguna Seca..

What subjectively was his best race?

Álex Palou needed an Indianapolis 500 victory. At least, he was going to need one. It was best to get it out of the way now. Three championships and about a dozen victories is a good career for a driver through five seasons and at 28 years of age, but the Indianapolis 500 question is not one you want to carry into your 30s. That gives you a decade to give you one before your 40s. If you don't get it by then, you likely never will. 

All the champions before him had one. Josef Newgarden had won consecutive "500s." Scott Dixon has one from over a decade ago. Will Power has one. Simon Pagenaud has one. Palou was the only champion since reunification without an Indianapolis 500 victory, and none of his title-less contemporaries who we see as the best in the series had won one yet either. Patricio O'Ward had come close. Colton Herta had never factored. For Palou, an Indianapolis 500 could get him everything before any of his rivals had anything. 

This is all window-dressing, setting the scene for the story and the importance of this victory. It has nothing to do with the drive itself. 

Truthfully, Palou winning at Indianapolis might not have been one of his three most impressive victories of the season. He had to chase down O'Ward at Thermal Club. He smacked down the field at Barber. At Road America, he pedaled the car in a way only few can. Seven million people do not tune in for those races. 

It was meant to be. Palou didn't have to punish the competition with 185 of 200 laps led. He didn't have to be leading the field for the entire race. All he had to do, all he ever has to do, is remain in the picture, and there he was in the top five. There he was as pit cycles came and went and cautions mixed up strategy. He methodically made up ground, and when it came time for the run to home, he was second with Marcus Ericsson ahead. 

Ericsson has a swift set of hands at the Speedway, but Palou is the best IndyCar has, one of the best IndyCar has ever seen. He didn't wait to make his move. Palou took the lead with a late pass into turn one with 14 laps to go. If anyone was going to beat him, they would have to pass him, and he had all the confidence in the world that no one was going to be able to do that. 

What objectively was his worst race?

It was seven days after his Indianapolis 500 triumph when David Malukas botched braking into turn one at Detroit and pushed Palou into the barriers, ending a top ten day and what could have been a top five finish. Palou was classified in 25th.

What subjectively was his worst race?

It is Detroit, and it wasn't his fault. The only other race where Palou didn't factor was Toronto where he was caught in the pit cycles and was shuffled back to 12th, never really contending for more. Toronto was the only other race he finished outside the top ten. 

Everyone thought the title fight was on after Toronto, especially since O'Ward won the race. Then Palou slapped the field silly on the way to victory at Laguna Seca, and then he clinched the title the race after that in Portland. 

Álex Palou's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 1st (711 points)
Wins: 8
Podiums: 13
Top Fives: 14
Top Tens: 15
Laps Led: 778
Poles: 6
Fast Sixes: 11
Fast Twelves: 12
Average Start: 33.352
Average Finish: 4.0588

Scott Dixon

It is Scott Dixon. How do you think his season went? He was at the front. He rarely did anything wrong. The results were normally positive, but we did not see Dixon be a strong presence and show up as a driver to beat on a regular basis. He was there but he was not the man to beat.

What objectively was his best race?

Scott Dixon did win a race in 2025, but it came in a race his teammate dominated. Álex Palou looked set to conquer Mid-Ohio in convincing fashion. Then Palou ran wide in turn nine and went off track. This allowed Dixon to slip through with six laps to go and take an unexpected victory.

What subjectively was his best race?

Dixon probably should have won at St. Petersburg. He was leading after everyone had cycled through their alternate tire stint. However, Dixon had no radio communication to his team and was unsure when to make his final pit stop, running until the fuel reserve light came on.

This forced Dixon to run long before his final stop, which allowed Palou to cycle to the lead after the pit cycle was through. Dixon still finished second when most drivers likely would have suffered dearly trying to manage strategy on their own. It was incredible he finished second even if it felt like it should have been one spot better. 

What objectively was his worst race?

A brake caliber issue forced an extra long pit stop for the repair during the Indianapolis 500. The change comes as the race is about to restart after a caution. Dixon lost three laps and never made any of those back, finishing 20th.

What subjectively was his worst race?

It is Indianapolis. Dixon finished 12th or better in every other race. He had another damn good season.

Scott Dixon's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 3rd (452 points)
Wins: 1
Podiums: 3
Top Fives: 6
Top Tens: 12
Laps Led: 91
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 2
Fast Twelves: 7
Average Start: 12.647
Average Finish: 8.2941

Kyffin Simpson

For a sophomore season while teamed with two of the greatest drivers in IndyCar history, it was going to be hard to be impressed with whatever Simpson accomplished. However, there were a handful of races where Simpson clearly made a big step from his rookie year. Though I don't think anyone will be mistaking him for one of his teammates anytime soon.

What objectively was his best race?

Starting on the alternate tire and using an alternate strategy, Simpson was able to jump from 13th to third at Toronto. A long middle stint, 42 laps to be exact, allowed him to pull off an impressive result.

What subjectively was his best race?

It sounds odd to say a tenth at Mid-Ohio was Simpson's best result when he had a third at Toronto, he was fourth at Nashville, and a fifth at Detroit, but Simpson had pure pace to challenge for the podium at Mid-Ohio. Unfortunately, Simpson stalled on his final stop. Then he hit one of Rinus VeeKay's pit crew members. This led to a drive-through penalty, but Simpson drove back into the top ten despite the punishment. 

It could have been much better, but Simpson drove sensationally well to salvage a respectable result. 

What objectively was his worst race?

Twice was Simpson classified 27th. At the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Simpson's car would not start on the grid, and he was unable to participate, leaving him classified in 27th. At Laguna Seca, Simpson mistimed his braking into turn five and plowed into Felix Rosenqvist on the opening lap. Simpson's race was over, and he had a six-grid spot penalty in the next race at Portland for his action.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Laguna Seca was a bad error, and it was all on him. Simpson didn't make many errors in 2025. This one stands above all of them.

Kyffin Simpson's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 17th (293 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 3
Top Tens: 6
Laps Led: 6
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 1
Fast Twelves: 4
Average Start: 16.235
Average Finish: 15.176

An Early Look Ahead

It is Chip Ganassi Racing. They will be fine. They are probably going to win the championship again. I don't know if there is any reason to waste your time and write about 500 to 800 words about the outlook for Chip Ganassi Racing's 2026 season. 

It is simple: They are going to win, they are going to win a handful of times, maybe even score two handfuls of victories, and Álex Palou will likely have a fifth championship to his name. If he doesn't, he will probably still be one of the top three drivers in the season and he will likely lose to a Team Penske driver, Patricio O'Ward, or maybe Scott Dixon is the one to knock off his teammate. 

Could 2026 be the year Dixon falls off? Maybe. Could 2026 be another year where Dixon wins once, has a half-dozen top five finishes and 14 top ten finishes? Probably. There is nothing to suggest the former is imminent. We know nothing lasts forever. Dixon could wake up tomorrow and decide he has one more year in him. We will cross that bridge when we get there. 

As for Simpson, just have fun kid. Go see if you can crack the top fifteen in the championship. We are not expecting much more than that.

I end with this: It is hard to imagine Palou matching or exceeding this season. There is a reason why there have only been four occasions where a driver has won nine races and it had been nearly two decades since someone won eight times. This was a special season. We might not see it for another two decades. Palou isn't going anywhere, and he isn't even 30 years old, but I don't think we are going to see him threaten to win ten races every season for the next ten years. He will be like every other great driver before him.

A.J. Foyt didn't win a half-dozen races every season. Neither did Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Rick Mears, Johnny Rutherford, Michael Andretti, Al Unser, Jr., Alex Zanardi, Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Will Power. 

Every driver has this period of sheer control, but they always come down to earth. They still might be the best, but they will not look untouchable forever. 

However, nothing suggests Palou is going to be coming down anytime soon.

IndyCar Wrap-Up: Arrow McLaren's 2025 Season

Our penultimate IndyCar Wrap-Up has us at Arrow McLaren, which is coming off arguably its best season since McLaren joined the fray ahead of the 2020 season. McLaren had two drivers at the top of the championship, and for the first time it felt like the team had a driver combination capable of winning races. Only one driver won, but that likely will not be the case moving forward. McLaren ended up coming closest to Álex Palou, but like the rest of the field, it has work to do to close that gap.

Patricio O'Ward

For the last few seasons, O'Ward has been at the top of IndyCar but has never firmly grasped being the best in the series. It is hard to do considering the competition, but on a few occasions, O'Ward would slip in his own right and let days get away from him. In 2025, O'Ward had his best IndyCar season. Everyone was competing for second, and O'Ward drove consistent enough to earn that spot.

What objectively was his best race?

O'Ward took two victories this season. The first was the first Iowa race where a slightly quicker pit stop allowed him to overtake Josef Newgarden through the final pit cycle after Newgarden had led the first 232 laps. The other was at Toronto where stopping early and having each caution go his way allowed O'Ward to win from tenth on the grid.

What subjectively was his best race?

It was neither of his victories. It is actually a race that got away from him. At Thermal Club, O'Ward was on for a banger of a day. He had driven to over a ten-second lead over Álex Palou, and it looked like O'Ward was set to win in convincing fashion with 64 of 65 laps led from pole position with fastest lap to boot. 

The only problem is O'Ward's team decided to end on the primary tire compound while Palou had a fresh set of alternate tires. Palou erased the ten-second deficit in seven laps before opening up a margin of victory over ten seconds to O'Ward. 

Not often does a driver lose a race and it was his subjective best, but this one came down to tire strategy, and I don't fault O'Ward nor his team for thinking a primary set of tires would be enough to hold on to a ten-second lead with 16 laps remaining. O'Ward drove a splendid race. Palou's team had an ace up its sleeve and it paid off. 

It would have been wrong to ignore O'Ward's day at Thermal Club because it was rather impressive, and it was going to be an early statement from him and the McLaren team until Palou stole the show.

What objectively was his worst race?

The championship ended at Portland when wiring issues caused O'Ward to slow on lap 21 and it ended any hope of keeping the championship alive into Milwaukee. O'Ward ended up ten laps down in 25th.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Nashville was likely O'Ward's best race of the season, but with how it ended, and how it ended O'Ward's season, it is hard to draw any positives from it. O'Ward was unstoppable at Nashville. From pole position, O'Ward led 116 of the first 126 laps. It felt like no one had an answer for him. A right front tire failure was the only thing that could stop him, and it did. O'Ward lost the right front in turn two and it sent him into the barrier. A chance at victory was gone and his season ended with a 24th-place result when he was the best driver on the day.

Patricio O'Ward's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 2nd (515 points)
Wins: 2
Podiums: 6
Top Fives: 10
Top Tens: 12
Laps Led: 258
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 4
Fast Twelves: 9
Average Start: 7.588
Average Finish: 8.411

Christian Lundgaard

Lundgaard was taking a step up in 2025 moving to Arrow McLaren after three seasons at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. If the Dane could be a top ten championship driver and a race winner at RLLR, he would surely find success at McLaren. Unlike the number of drivers to join the team since 2020, Lundgaard firmly established himself as a threat. For the first part of the season, Lundgaard was the team leader.

What objectively was his best race?

Three times was Lundgaard a runner-up in the 2025 season. The first was at Barber Motorsports Park before he had consecutive runner-up finishes at Laguna Seca and Portland.

What subjectively was his best race?

Barber Motorsports Park felt like the race where Lundgaard was firmly set as a competitive driver at McLaren. Through the first four races, he was better than O'Ward. At Barber, Lundgaard drove from seventh to second with some impressive passes on his teammate as well as Will Power and Scott McLaughlin. He still finished over 16 seconds behind Palou, but Lundgaard did his darn best to be best of the rest.

What objectively was his worst race?

Three laps before O'Ward's tire failure at Nashville, Lundgaard pulled into the pit lane with a mechanical issue and retired from the race. In a blink, McLaren had two cars done for the season in 24th and 25th respectively for the finale.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Nashville was a tough way to end the season. The Grand Prix of Indianapolis is another race to earmark. Lundgaard has run well on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in his career. In 2025, he had a good starting position in seventh, but an improper blend out of the pit lane led to a penalty that shuffled him back to 16th. Considering he had three consecutive podium finishes entering that race, this was a tough way for such a positive run of form to end.

Christian Lundgaard's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 5th (431 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 6
Top Fives: 6
Top Tens: 11
Laps Led: 54
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 6
Fast Twelves: 10
Average Start: 10
Average Finish: 9.588

Nolan Siegel

In his first full season with Arrow McLaren, Siegel was hoping whatever he picked up from running most of the races in 2024 would lead him to better results, especially at tracks he would be visiting for the second time. We still saw growing pains for Siegel, and those were amplified as his two teammates were regularly at the front.

What objectively was his best race?

Siegel was eighth at Road America despite making five pit stops and starting 13th on the grid.

What subjectively was his best race?

It is Road America. His only other top ten finish was ninth at Barber Motorsports Park.

What objectively was his worst race?

Siegel was hit at the start of the St. Petersburg race with contact from Will Power spinning him into the barrier. Without completing a lap, Siegel was classified in 25th for the first race of the season.

What subjectively was his worst race?

Siegel was the best rookie on track at the start of the final lap of the Indianapolis 500. He was 12th on the road, and then he spun in turn two. Considering what happened to the two Andretti cars that finished in the top ten, Siegel could have finished tenth on his Indianapolis 500 debut had he just made it another two-thirds of a lap. He still was placed in 13th after the post-race penalties were applied, but he could have had this clear bright spot for his season had he been able to complete one more lap.

It should also be noted that Siegel missed the second Iowa race after having an accident in race one and not being cleared to drive the next day. Missing a race is tough regardless of how the season is going.

Nolan Siegel's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 22nd (213 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 2
Laps Led: 11
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 2
Fast Twelves: 4
Average Start: 13.705
Average Finish: 17.25

An Early Look Ahead

McLaren has a 1-2 combination it has never had in IndyCar. One driver won races while the other was frequently in the picture and will likely win in 2026. The team went 2-4 in the championship with the only drivers ahead and between from Chip Ganassi Racing. McLaren has never been closer to the IndyCar championship since it returned to the series. 

Things could go McLaren's way. Palou isn't going to win eight races a season every season. Everything comes to an end. Only one driver has won four consecutive championships in IndyCar history. Life is a number's game. The odds are against Palou. Why couldn't McLaren be the benefactor of those odds? It has positioned itself to be next in line, and it has two drivers there to slide into the top spot. 

For the slow start to the season, O'Ward did assert himself as the top McLaren driver, but Lundgaard will likely improve next season. Lundgaard has likely worked through some of the rough patches and the #7 McLaren team likely have a better understanding of how things work. If Lundgaard gets off to a hot start again like he did in 2025, I don't know if it is a certainty O'Ward will get back ahead. 

Ovals are the one thing working in O'Ward's favor. Lundgaard did better this year but he has some work to do to be a contender. He was at least getting top ten finishes, but to win a championship it would be helpful to sneak onto the podium in a few oval races. Perhaps Lundgaard can get to that level in 2026. 

The expectation should be more next season. More from O'Ward and more from Lundgaard. Both drivers should be winning races. If both drivers can win two or three times, as long as they aren't taking each other out, they could both challenge for the title. 

Then there is Siegel. Considering the short leash McLaren has given other drivers, 2026 will be make-or-break. Alexander Rossi, Felix Rosenqvist and Oliver Askew were all cast aside earlier and with far better results to their name than Siegel has achieved in his season-plus time with the organization. He might bring some money but not enough that isn't replaceable to the organization. He only turns 21 years old in November, but McLaren isn't going to subscribe to a long experiment. 

If McLaren is running three cars, it is going to want all three to be at the front. We know Team Penske can have three cars battling at the front, and Andretti Global has the pieces on paper to do the same. McLaren cannot afford to have a third car trudging along at the back, and there are plenty of capable drivers on the sidelines. 

There are plenty of positives to draw from 2025. Looking at all the pieces, McLaren has what it takes for something greater next season.

IndyCar Wrap-Up: Andretti Global's 2025 Season

We are entering the final stretch of IndyCar Wrap-Ups, and we have essentially made it to the podium positions. Andretti Global started the season in flying colors. For the longest time, it was the only team that could defeat Álex Palou and had a slim shot at the championship. However, Andretti could not maintain its pace. The second half of 2025 was disappointing and though it won the second-most races of the season, it was not a glorious year.

Kyle Kirkwood

No driver was closer to Álex Palou than Kyle Kirkwood. No other driver had defeated the Catalan driver but Kirkwood until July, and even that was after a Palou error. It felt like the battle would be between Palou and Kirkwood, with all pressure being on Kirkwood to keep up. He couldn't, and he actually lost ground to other competitors. It was a career year for the Floridian, but for all the positives to draw, this one ended up being more disappointing than you would think possible.

What objectively was his best race?

Kirkwood won three times in 2025, the second-most in the IndyCar season. The first came at Long Beach when Kirkwood led most of the way, but he had a fierce Álex Palou in his mirrors, keeping Kirkwood honest through the checkered flag. Kirkwood was the best driver at Detroit, but he still needed to make some passes to get back to the front after a caution came out during the start of a pit cycle. Kirkwood was able to make the moves and take the victory. The following week saw Kirkwood drive intelligently at Gateway, and though he did not lead a large number of laps, he paced himself to take the lead during the final pit cycle and score his first career oval victory.

What subjectively was his best race?

Detroit was Kirkwood's strongest day, but winning Gateway and doing it by stopping early in a pit cycle to jump ahead of the likes of Scott Dixon and Patricio O'Ward was a significant moment for Kirkwood. The American has had some good days on ovals, but he had not pulled through for a victory. At Gateway, he ran exclusively at the front and pulled off a strategy that put him on top.

What objectively was his worst race?

Disqualification at the Indianapolis 500 for illegally modified covers to the hybrid system meant Kirkwood was dropped from sixth to 32nd.

What subjectively was his worst race?

The Iowa weekend was particularly rough for Kirkwood. The pace was never quite there and an accident brought an early end to his first race. In the second race, Kirkwood went off-strategy and it put him in the lead for a moment. The race was never going to end in victory, but it could have netted him a top ten finish when he had spent most of the race in the back-half of the field. However, the caution for Kirkwood's teammate Colton Herta's accident trapped him a lap down and he finished 18th.

Kyle Kirkwood's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 4th (433 points)
Wins: 3
Podiums: 3
Top Fives: 5
Top Tens: 10
Laps Led: 114
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 4
Fast Twelves: 7
Average Start: 11.9411
Average Finish: 10.764

Colton Herta

After ending 2024 finishing second in the championship and with a victory to close out the season, it felt like 2025 was lining up to be Herta's year. That didn't happen. Sadly, Herta slipped back into the above-average rut he populated in 2022 and 2023. We would see the good, but we rarely saw great, someone who was doing something spectacular. Herta never came close to being a force in 2025, but that hasn't stopped him from getting a promotion.

What objectively was his best race?

Twice was Herta third this season. The first time was at Detroit where he won pole position but Kirkwood had the better race car. Herta was in Kirkwood's footsteps the entire race. If Santino Ferrucci had not stopped on the right side of the late caution, this would have been a 1-2 finish. Herta's other third-place result was at Laguna Seca. No one was touching Álex Palou at Laguna Seca, and Herta was in the battle for second with Christian Lundgaard.

What subjectively was his best race?

Herta's best chance at victory was Detroit. If Kyle Kirkwood was not in that race, it would have been Herta controlling the race from the front and likely winning in dominant fashion.

What objectively was his worst race?

Herta was 25th at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis after he damaged his front wing on the second lap of the race. A slow pit stop followed. Soon, Herta was off the lead lap and that is where he spent most of the race.

What subjectively was his worst race?

I know I just said Detroit was Herta's best chance at victory. Scratch that. Herta's best chance was the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg where Herta led the drivers who got off the alternate tire on lap two under the first caution of the season. It felt like everything lined up for Herta to cycle to the lead and potentially start the season with a victory. However, a botched pit stop cost him dearly and instead of winning the race, he opened the season 16th, which kind of set the tone of the season.

Colton Herta's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 7th (372 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 2
Top Fives: 5
Top Tens: 8
Laps Led: 21
Poles: 2
Fast Sixes: 8
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 10.4705
Average Finish: 10.882

Marcus Ericsson

There were growing pains in 2024 with Ericsson joining the Andretti Global organization, but the hope was the Swede would take a leap forward as he did in his second season with Chip Ganassi Racing. Things started on the right note with a sixth at St. Petersburg, but Ericsson found himself stuck in the back-half of the field. Too often, he was an afterthought, well off his teammates and well off where we know his ability can take him.

What objectively was his best race?

The only top five finish of the season for Ericsson was fifth at Toronto. An early pit stop paid off for Ericsson as it kept him at the front and he was able to hold his ground.

What subjectively was his best race?

On the road, Ericsson was second in the Indianapolis 500, and he was leading before Álex Palou made his daring move to take the point. Ericsson had good pace, but at one point he was shuffled out of the top twenty on the main strategy. An audible allowed Ericsson to run a more aggressive strategy and it put him in the lead after the final pit cycle.

However, while Ericsson led, he could not put separation between himself and Palou, and Palou took advantage when the moment presented itself with 14 laps to go to take the lead. Ericsson remained close but he could not get back ahead.  

What objectively was his worst race?

As we know, Ericsson also was disqualified for the illegal hybrid cover, and instead of finishing second, Ericsson was classified in 31st in the final results for the Indianapolis 500.

What subjectively was his worst race?

It is hard to pinpoint one race, but it is the case of Ericsson not taking a step forward in year two with Andretti Global. He was 15th in the championship in 2024 and ended up 20th in 2025. He had four top five finishes in 2024 and ended 2025 with one. He had two top ten finishes the entire season. It wasn't one bad race but a season that was somehow more woeful than the one prior that has you lost for words.

Marcus Ericsson's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 20th (218 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 2
Top Tens: 2
Laps Led: 20
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 2
Fast Twelves: 7
Average Start: 12.8235
Average Finish: 15.588

An Early Look Ahead

For a team that won three races and had two drivers finish in the top ten of the championship, Andretti Global is undergoing one of its biggest shakeups yet. With Colton Herta becoming a development driver for the Cadillac F1 team and about to run Formula Two as a way to acclimate to the global scene, Andretti Global hired Will Power as Herta's replacement. 

It should be an improvement in talent, and Andretti Global should be in for one of its best seasons since its most recent championship in 2012. Though talent has not been what has kept Andretti Global from coming out on top. This is an organization that goes into a slump across the board, and we saw that in the second half of 2025.

Power will bring a fire this organization has never seen with a driver. Considering Andretti's street course prowess in recent seasons, Power could come out of the box hot with two of the first three races and three of the first five being street events. Power should force everyone at Andretti to raise its game, but he will turn 45 years old on the day of the 2026 season opener. While he did win a championship four years ago, in the last three seasons, he has had a winless season and it took him 15 races to win in 2025. He has also won only three pole positions over the last 51 races. In the 51 races prior to that, Power had 11 pole positions. 

The hope will be Power still has some of that magic in him, and motivated after a semi-unpleasant departure from Team Penske, he will look to prove his previous employer wrong. 

Every year it feels like the most of the pieces are there for Andretti Global, but there are always a few missing. Last year, it was the second half of the season. Kirkwood might not have been able to keep pace with Palou, but through the first eight races he was set to at least be second in the championship, and then the speed vanished. Bringing in Will Power will not complete the puzzle for the entire organization, but bringing Ron Ruzewski as team principal should be a step to lift all three entries and have the team be more competitive over all 17 races.

Kirkwood should be fine even if he finishes behind Power in the championship. Ericsson must do something greater than we have seen in the last two years, and even that it might not be enough. With Dennis Hauger farmed out to Dale Coyne Racing for the 2026 season, the writing could be on the wall and Ericsson could be in a lame-duck season for the Andretti group no matter what, but he cannot afford to finish as far behind his teammates as he has the last two years.

Considering the talent of all three drivers and the resources poured into the program, the expectation should be for all three Andretti drivers to finish in the top ten of the championship, a number the team has not hit since 2018. The team should be competitive and make some waves, but don't expect things to remain the same going into 2027.

IndyCar Wrap-Up: Meyer Shank Racing's 2025 Season

If you had been told at the start of the year that both Meyer Shank Racing drivers would finish ahead of all three Team Penske drivers, you probably would have thought something spectacular happened. Not quite, but Meyer Shank Racing did have its most impressive season in IndyCar as its new partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing lifted the two-car team up the running order. It was constantly on the periphery of something special, but it didn't quite pan out in the ultimate success.

Felix Rosenqvist

Rosenqvist had a fantastic start to his 2024 season cover for a rough end to that campaign. It still netted him a top ten championship finish. The hope was for better in 2025, and this year was pretty good. It wasn't clearly better. It had good moments. It had the moments we have become accustomed to seeing from Felix Rosenqvist. Paired with Marcus Armstrong, Rosenqvist helped MSR have its best season in IndyCar.

What objectively was his best race?

Road America just got away from Rosenqvist. He had the fuel and the tires in the final stint as Álex Palou had to conserve fuel. Rosenqvist went on the chase but he fell just short and finished second in what was a stellar run and a victory if against probably 25 other drivers on the grid.

What subjectively was his best race?

Road America should be acknowledged, but Rosenqvist started fifth and finished fourth after Marcus Ericsson was disqualified in the Indianapolis 500. Rosenqvist spent the entire race in the top ten, but didn't do much to stand out. However, he was there. The car held its ground even if it didn't turn into a contender.

What objectively was his worst race?

Rosenqvist was blitzed from behind on the opening lap at Laguna Seca. Kyffin Simpson got the braking wrong into turn six, and Rosenqvist was the innocent bystander, and his 12th-place starting position was ruined on a day everyone expected the Swede to go forward. 

What subjectively was his worst race?

It isn't one race but the constant problem we know from Rosenqvist. He can qualify well but the finish doesn't match. He had six races where he started in the top five. Only two of those races ended in a top five finish. Of those six races, the only one where he finished better than his starting position was the Indianapolis 500, and that only happened because a car that finished ahead of him was disqualified. His average finish in races where he started in the top five was eighth, not bad, but it must be better than that. There are too many missed opportunities each season for Rosenqvist. 

Felix Rosenqvist's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 6th (372 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Top Fives: 4
Top Tens: 10
Laps Led: 8
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 4
Fast Twelves: 8
Average Start: 9.705
Average Finish: 11.352

Marcus Armstrong

After two seasons within the Chip Ganassi Racing organization, Armstrong was loaned out to Meyer Shank Racing as the two teams started an technical alliance for the 2025 season. Armstrong thrived in his new setting. Meyer Shank Racing continued its improvement from the 2024 season, and Armstrong was one of the most consistent drivers over the course of the season.

What objectively was his best race?

Thanks to timing, Armstrong ended up finishing third in the second Iowa race. He had not made his final pit stop prior to the Colton Herta caution. Thanks to that break, Armstrong found himself in a podium position, and despite the final run to the checkered flag, no one knocked the New Zealander off the rostrum.

What subjectively was his best race?

Some good strategy allowed Armstrong to finish fifth at Road America, but he had a good car in traffic, and he was pushing for fourth over Kyle Kirkwood. It was especially impressive because Armstrong started 15th.

What objectively was his worst race?

He was in the running for a top five finish at St. Petersburg before left-rear suspension problems ended his race shortly after the first pit stop. Instead of starting the season on a high note, Armstrong ended the first race classified in 24th, ahead of only three drivers who were taken out in the opening lap accident.

What subjectively was his worst race?

It is harsh to say it is 18th in the Indianapolis 500 because I don't think Armstrong drove poorly, but it is his worst race because of the practice accident just prior to qualifying. He looked poised to be a driver to qualify in the top 12. Instead, he had to be in the last row shootout. He qualified 32nd and then moved up to 30th after two Team Penske cars were moved to the rear of the grid. Armstrong never had the comfort with the backup car. This is more of a case of a missed opportunity than a bad race.

Marcus Armstrong's 2025 Statistics

Championship Position: 8th (364 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1

Top Fives: 2
Top Tens: 11
Laps Led: 28
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 2
Fast Twelves: 9
Average Start: 11
Average Finish: 10.882

An Early Look Ahead

There is a great chance Meyer Shank Racing will take a step back in 2026. Both of its cars were ahead of all three Team Penske drivers, both Ed Carpenter Racing entries, both A.J. Foyt Racing entries, all three Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing entries and then there was the third Ganassi entry and the third Andretti entry. 

Unless MSR wins multiple races with both its drivers, it will likely see at least two if not three of those cars listed above finish ahead of both its cars. That means it will drop Rosenqvist down to at least eighth and Armstrong down to at least tenth, and that would still be a great season for the team. Double top ten championship finishers is outstanding for this group. The concern is it feels like this is MSR's ceiling. 

We know we are seeing Rosenqvist's limit. The Swede has just completed his seventh season in IndyCar. He has won one race. He has tremendous qualifying pace. It seldom transfers to race pace. His average finish was over 2.5 spots worse than his average starting position. There is no confidence that Rosenqvist can take qualifying pace and turn it into a drive forward. It usually goes in the opposite direction. It is fine because finishing between sixth and tenth in the championship in about half the races will get you a top ten championships, but it is frustrating to be that close and never breakthrough. 

Armstrong lived in the back-half of the championship top ten. It was the kind of season he needed, but it doesn't feel like he is that much of a threat. I don't think we went into a race day last year thinking Armstrong was capable of turning a sixth on the grid into a podium or victory or take an eighth and turn it into a run for the podium. That is the next step for MSR.

The problem is with the technical partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing, MSR is kind of expected to be no better than the third-best CGR car. That is a good place to be, and it could be good enough to win a race or two, but it isn't likely we will see Rosenqvist or Armstrong be a surprise championship contender. The team kind of lives in IndyCar limbo, good enough that it can be ahead of most but never good enough that it can be the best. 

Meyer Shank Racing has a good combination with Rosenqvist and Armstrong, but it feels like we just saw the best we can expect from it. That makes 2026 a near impossible season when it comes to satisfaction. 

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.

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.

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.