Last year, Team Penske was plagued with DNFs, errors, and crucial mistakes, leading to their worst performance in recent years. They come into 2026 with a new driver and a fresh start. During the IndyCar content days, Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin, and David Malukas spoke about their previous season and what’s changing. With all eyes on Team Penske, 2026 will be an important test.
Josef Newgarden
“If we don’t want to finish 12th in the standings, we’ve got to finish more races.” As he reflected on his 2025 season, Josef Newgarden will take into this year that consistency is key. He emphasised how Team Penske can’t “have as many bad results” this year if they want to have a better season. But the team has seen plenty of change recently. They are going into 2026 being the “best versions of ourselves as we possibly can.”
Newgarden is the longest-standing driver for the team, now that Will Power has moved to Andretti Global. He admitted that it will “take some time to get used to” seeing Power in a different team, but he’s positive regarding David Malukas. “We’re going to help Dave,” he said, sharing how he’s excited to work alongside the young driver.
2026 features two new tracks and a returning one in Arlington, Markham, and Phoenix. The American is “excited to go back” to Phoenix after an eight-year absence. He doesn’t know much about Markham, but noted how “people speak highly of it”. Similar to Toronto, he believes that the new venue will “be a highlight”. For now, he thinks that Team Penske has had a “good, positive change“, and his strategy for the year is to find the potholes and avoid them.
Scott McLaughlin
Scott McLaughlin feels as though Team Penske had “genuine pace” in 2025, but ultimately his campaign was a “terrible year“ where he “left a lot on the table”. So in 2026, he’s hoping for a redemption. He recognised that there are areas that both he and the team need to “tidy up”. Considering the team changes, he also shared how the team morale is high, and they have a “refreshed focus”.
One of those changes comes from his new teammate, David Malukas. It’s early days, but McLaughlin believes that they have “worked together really well” so far. Alongside Newgarden, he feels as though the trio will be “pretty seamless”. Consequently, the New Zealander is excited to work with them both.
The Milwaukee Mile weekend will mark his 100th start in IndyCar. For him, it’s “kind of crazy that it’s come up so fast”. He has more experience now, but McLaughlin is “still having just as much fun“ as when he joined in 2021. Now, he’s using his experience to the best of his ability and hoping for a more successful year.
David Malukas
It is a new year and a new team for young David Malukas. But he is loving it and “feeling super prepped“, sharing that this is the first pre-season where he’s “not overthinking things”. Team Penske is “feeling like family already”, and he’s ready for 2026.
In terms of how Malukas can help the team return to their winning ways, he reckons his “Gen-Z look on data” will bring a “fresh outlook“. He believes that he will get there in time and, consequently, won’t fret “if things are taking some time”. For his debut season with the team, he’s aiming for consistency.
The No. 12 Chevrolet has a long history synonymous with Will Power. But that isn’t stopping Malukas from giving his all. He won’t be comparing himself to his predecessor; he’s focusing on “creating my own legacy”. 2026 is a new era for both Malukas and Team Penske, and he’s “excited to see” what happens.
With a new driver and operational changes underway, Team Penske is looking at a fresh start in 2026. Only time will tell if they can turn their luck around. But with their drivers prepped and ready to go. What awaits them?
See more articles on drivers’ goals and teams’ outlooks for the 2026 IndyCar season here.