With the 2026 IndyCar season only days away, everyone is gearing up for another year of intense racing. Whilst the cars, aero, and tyres all remain the same, one thing has switched up: the drivers. From team switches to new faces, the 2026 IndyCar grid has had a reboot ahead of the season. Here’s what is changing and what we can expect from the new lineup.
Team Switches
Over the off-season, three major team switches occurred. Colton Herta’s departure for Formula 2 created a domino effect for the rest of the grid.
Andretti Global
After many questions over his future with Team Penske, instead of renewing his contract, Will Power opted for a new challenge. Now, he replaces Herta in the No. 26 Andretti Global car. He also switches from Chevrolet to Honda, and will race for the Japanese manufacturer for the first time since 2011. For Power, it hasn’t been difficult adjusting to the new team, and he “can’t wait to get into the car.” Power will join Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson.
Team Penske
Consequently, the No. 12 Team Penske car was up for grabs. Considering his outstanding year that featured a P2 at the Indy 500 and narrowly missing his maiden pole, David Malukas now advances from A. J. Foyt Racing to the Big Three team. Coming off of his best season yet, Malukas has a lot to prove as he joins the new team. But ultimately, he’s excited to be “creating my own legacy in the No. 12 car.” Alongside Malukas, Team Penske retained Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin for 2026.
Juncos Hollinger Racing
Another big move happening on the 2026 grid comes at Juncos Hollinger Racing. With Conor Daly departing, Rinus VeeKay will take over the No. 76. The Dutch driver leaves Dale Coyne Racing after a single season. He returns to the team that he competed with in both the Pro Mazda Championship and Indy Lights in 2018 and 2019. Together, they came first and second, respectively. They have hired him as a veteran to “really help the team forward” alongside the returning Sting Ray Robb.
New Faces
Alongside the switches that see old drivers with new teams, 2026 features three new rookies. The trio all hail from European racing, following a recent trend that sees Formula 2 graduates head to America.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
After time in Formula 1 and World Endurance, Mick Schumacher makes his debut with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He replaces Devlin DeFrancesco, and going forward, the No. 30 car is now the No. 47. Oval racing will be his biggest challenge, but he thinks he’ll “have a good time here.” He lines up with veteran Graham Rahal and 2025 Rookie of the year winner, Louis Foster.
Dale Coyne Racing
After success in the FIA feeder ladder, the former Formula 3 champion Dennis Hauger debuted in Indy NXT in 2025. After winning on debut, he joins Dale Coyne Racing in the No. 19. He brings with him a technical alliance with Andretti that will help DCR and Hauger throughout the year. Hauger feels like the pairing has a “good opportunity to do well”.
A. J. Foyt Racing
With Malukas heading to Team Penske, Indy NXT runner-up Caio Collet is taking charge of the No. 4 A. J. Foyt Racing car in 2026. Like his fellow rookies, Collet started in the European feeder series and became a Formula 3 race winner. After two successful years in Indy NXT, he now faces the top American series and will benefit from the team’s alliance with Penske. Collet is “proud to be representing Brazil”. Joining Collet is A. J. Foyt Racing veteran Santino Ferrucci.
You can learn more about the rookies debuting in IndyCar here.
The PREMA Problem
Whilst the 2026 IndyCar grid seems to be complete, there’s one team whose position is unclear. PREMA Racing debuted in IndyCar last year, branching out from its successful European roots. It was a turbulent season for the rookie team that saw some high moments and some low ones too. At the end of last year, speculation over their financial standing came to light. Consequently, their position on the grid in 2026 was brought into question. This was continued when the Rosin family departed the team early in January.
Nothing has been confirmed regarding their status on the IndyCar grid by PREMA or IndyCar. However, their driver, Callum Ilott, is driving for Wright Motorsports in the GTD category at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this year. During the Rolex 24 weekend, Ilott was asked about PREMA’s position in IndyCar. He admitted that there has “been a bit of uncertainty” but also shared that the “higher-ups have been working really hard to find a suitable solution”.
“We don’t want to be in and out,” he shared, crediting the situation to the timing. Ilott is still contracted to drive the No. 90 PREMA Racing in IndyCar, so expect to see him on the grid if they are able to return for a second season. Robert Shwartzman’s position is also unclear.
Old Faithfuls
Aside from the driver switches, rookies, and the uncertainty of PREMA, the rest of the IndyCar grid is set to remain the same.
Chip Ganassi Racing
Álex Palou is looking to defend his title and is aiming to do the four-peat with Chip Ganassi Racing. If he pulls it off, he’ll be the first since Sébastien Bourdais in 2007 to achieve the feat. He teams up with Scott Dixon and Kyffin Simpson.
Arrow McLaren
Arrow McLaren sees an unchanged full-season line-up too, with Pato O’Ward, Christian Lundgaard, and Nolan Siegel all returning. After becoming the runner-up last year, O’Ward is hoping to mount a challenge to take his first IndyCar title. However, as a contract year for Siegel, he has everything to prove to retain his seat for 2027.
Ed Carpenter Racing and Meyer Shank Racing
Whilst the leadership at Ed Carpenter Racing has seen a shake-up, their drivers remain the same. Alexander Rossi and Christian Rasmussen both remain at the team for a second season together. Meyer Shank Racing also retained both its drivers, Felix Rosenqvist and Marcus Armstrong. Both teams are hoping to continue the progress they saw in 2025.
The final face in the full-season 2026 IndyCar grid is a returning one. Romain Grosjean is returning to Dale Coyne Racing in the No. 18. After his time in Formula 1, the French driver joined IndyCar with DCR in 2021, and together they achieved three podiums. Then he spent two seasons with Andretti Global before heading to Juncos Hollinger Racing. 2025 saw him off the grid, but he kept his ties to the series as PREMA Racing’s reserve driver. After a year out, he returns to the team he started with, helping both the team and Hauger continue their development in the series.
The 2026 IndyCar Grid
Ahead of the season, all the drivers had their say at the 2026 IndyCar content days. You can read what they had to say in the pre-season here.
Key changes were made to the grid over the off-season. With new teams and faces, the lineup looks different as we head into the first race. Will the teams that retained their drivers prosper from the continuity, or will a fresh perspective from new drivers help those who have altered their lineup? With only one week until we go racing, it isn’t long until all is revealed.