Bob Pockrass
FOX Motorsports Insider
Will Power leaving Team Penske — and for all places, Andretti Global — has certainly shaken up the INDYCAR driver market.
What seemed like a not-too-cray silly season has transpired into one with more significant movement than anticipated and one with still more questions remaining.
[Related: Will Power Replaces Andretti’s Colton Herta, Who Joins Cadillac F1 As Test Driver]
It was a shame that Power’s tenure ended at Team Penske after 17 years, but the team apparently has made a commitment to David Malukas. In some ways, it’s like other sports where the high-priced veteran gets moved for someone with potential who also is not costly (the Malukas family owns Indy NXT team HMD Motorsports and their trucking company likely has synergies with Penske’s companies).
Power will turn 45 on the day the 2026 season opens with the race in St. Petersburg, but he has at least a few good years left in him.
He has landed at Andretti Global as Colton Herta makes the move to Cadillac Formula 1 (which is owned by Andretti Global parent company TWG Motorsports) as its test driver and possibly a full-time ride in Formula 2.Â
Andretti could have gone another path other than Power. It could have elevated Indy NXT champion Dennis Hauger, although the team has already had talks about loaning Hauger out for a season to another INDYCAR team (Dale Coyne is the leading candidate for that).
Will Power will be racing for Andretti in 2026 following a lengthy run at Team Penske.
Coyne has two openings to fill as the team confirmed Tuesday that Rinus VeeKay would not return next season. Coyne told FOX Sports last week that they were still in talks with rookie Jacob Abel, who does not have a deal set for next year and had a rough rookie season at 27th in the standings.
VeeKay had a strong season at 14th in the standings and appears as the best option for Foyt, assuming that Malukas leaves that organization.
Former Formula 1 and INDYCAR driver Romain Grosjean would be a candidate for the other Coyne seat. Grosjean was a reserve driver for Prema Racing this year.
Juncos Hollinger Racing and Prema Racing also still have uncertain lineups for next season.Â
Sting Ray Robb struggled in finishing 25th in the standings for JHR but brings funding. Conor Daly was 18th but still is looking for sponsors.
“We want to be back,” Daly said Saturday. “The team has done a lot to make sure I can be there with them. … Who knows what can happen with the amount of rumors I see.”
Rinus VeeKay is among a handful of drivers facing uncertainty for 2026.
Indianapolis 500 pole-winner Robert Shwartzman was non-committal for next year in INDYCAR. He said he has a deal to race for Prema, but whether that is in Europe or INDYCAR is up to Prema brass.
Prema is the only organization that doesn’t have charters for its cars and is not guaranteed a starting spot. If it wanted to downsize (or leave altogether) after a little bit frustrating first season — Callum Ilott was 21st in the standings, Shwartzman 24th — it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise. And if that happens, whether that would entice a current organization to add a car (assuming the fields stay at 27 cars) remains to be seen.
Chip Ganassi Racing, Arrow McLaren Racing, Meyer Shank Racing and Ed Carpenter Racing appear set for next year.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing officials have indicated they also are set, but Devlin DeFrancesco, who brings funding, struggled this year in finishing 26th in the standings.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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