A wishlist for the 2026 IndyCar season

Comfortable New Yr, everybody!

There are 58 days till the inexperienced flag waves for the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to formally begin the 2026 season for the IndyCar Collection.

With the anticipation constructing with each ticking day till that time, it made me assume over the completely different storylines that may merely be hellaciously enjoyable. So, as a substitute of predictions and trying to be a failed fortune teller, I made a decision on developing with a wishlist because the clock struck midnight. 

Right here we go.

Starting with the No. 26 in 2026

The ‘New Yr, New Me’ slogan has most likely by no means felt extra correct for any driver prefer it does for Will Energy, who takes over Andretti World’s No. 26 Honda entry from F1 dream chaser Colton Herta.

The 44-year-old Energy has an IndyCar file 71 poles, however none on the Indianapolis 500. It truly is the one factor left to perform in his legendary profession. To go a step additional, it will be fairly exceptional if he achieved that feat by outdueling former Group Penske teammates Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin, alongside together with his substitute, David Malukas, too.

Whereas we’re with regards to Energy, we must always lastly get that long-awaited and forever-anticipated head-to-head struggle with Scott Dixon. There isn’t any mistaking they’re two titans of the game, however in some way they’ve by no means actually been in a correct struggle for a win. Merely put, we’d like it.

A Correct Chase for No. 7

Talking of Dixon, who’s now formally racing royalty, actually, after being knighted by his dwelling nation of New Zealand “for companies to motorsport,” an actual probability to be within the struggle for a record-tying seventh championship (to attract degree with A.J. Foyt) could be enjoyable.

It’s definitely not for a scarcity of making an attempt, however ever since Alex Palou came to visit to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021 and has gained 4 of the final 5 titles, Dixon has ended up fourth (2021), third (2022), second (2023), sixth (2024) and third (2025). For no matter purpose, whether or not a pit miscue, making up an excessive amount of floor after a poor qualifying outing, mechanical woes, or just being on the unsuitable finish of technique, Dixon hasn’t loved the identical run of fine fortune as his Spanish teammate.

I need to see the 45-year-old Dixon be within the championship struggle and actually apply strain on Palou. It might be intriguing to see how the staff dynamic would evolve with each passing race.

If nothing else, it will be an ideal reminder to everybody amid this Palou dynasty simply how good Dixon and that No. 9 Honda have been in a profession that’s about to hit the quarter century mark.

A Flock of Siegels

Earlier this week, Arrow McLaren Group Principal Tony Kanaan instructed Motorsport.com that 21-year-old Nolan Siegel, who’s coming into the final yr of a multi-year contract, “wants to complete within the prime 10 within the championship and if not, I don’t assume I can hold him.”

In a sport that’s exceptionally tight, let’s say Siegel’s growth takes that subsequent step and he hits that efficiency degree and even grabs a podium or two, perhaps even a win. It might be an attention-grabbing state of affairs as the driving force market is anticipated to have some huge names out there, like Newgarden. If the efficiency degree raises for Siegel, in some ways, he would have pulled issues in his favor to have extra choices for 2027 and add to the drama of what has already been created.

Siegel, a 24 Hours of Le Mans winner within the LMP2 class in 2024, has the highlight – and strain – firmly on him. Seeing him rise to the event, now that may shut lots of people up.

First Timers and Drought Breakers

There was one first-time winner over the previous two seasons, which was Ed Carpenter Racing’s Christian Rasmussen’s stirring late cost final yr at Milwaukee to beat Palou.

The stout rookies coming into North America’s premier open-wheel championship, equivalent to Caio Collet and reigning Indy NXT champion Dennis Hauger, would carry an unimaginable second if both or each attain Victory Lane, particularly additionally for the groups they drive for in AJ Foyt Racing and Dale Coyne Racing, respectively. And don’t neglect about Mick Schumacher, the son of seven-time Components 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher who made 43 begins himself in F1, at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL). Think about the scenes if Mick waxed the sector on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway highway course, a spot his father gained 5 instances.

Mick Schumacher, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Picture by: Penske Leisure

However then there’s additionally just a few drivers which were shut however not but capable of knock the door down for that elusive first win and discover themselves in an ideal state of affairs to, like Kyffin Simpon at Chip Ganassi Racing, or Malukas at Group Penske, and Santino Ferrucci has been flashing the flexibility to drag an upset with AJ Foyt Racing for just a few seasons now. RLL’s Louis Foster additionally confirmed flashes of tempo together with his pole at Highway America a yr in the past, and charging capacity in a lot of races. Add Meyer Shank Racing’s Marcus Armstrong to this checklist, too, after his prime eight championship end in 2025.

And on the facet of former winners that haven’t tasted the champagne on the highest step of the rostrum (or milk, at one specific race), it’s led by Graham Rahal, who final gained in 2017 (Detroit). Alexander Rossi can also be on the checklist, having not gained since 2022 (IMS highway course). Felix Rosenqvist has been shut on a number of events however has but to match his lone win from 2020 (Highway America). Lastly, Marcus Ericsson is one other that involves thoughts, together with his final win being the season-opening spherical in 2023 at St. Petersburg.

With a calendar that’s 17 races lengthy, it will be good to have a number of drivers bag maiden victories, but in addition see a pair finish their respective droughts.

The Golden Goose

The speak of a 3rd producer has gone on for nicely over a decade and is on the level the golden goose has been burnt to a crisp within the oven.

However for the sake of this being a wishlist, let’s assume the most important overhaul IndyCar has deliberate for 2028, particularly a brand new chassis with a 2.4-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, truly resurrects the golden goose from the ashes and we get a 3rd OEM. And with that serving to not stretch assets to an absurd degree, Honda decides to remain within the sport.

I’ll allow you to entertain who could be essentially the most pleasant producer to rival Chevrolet and Honda, however definitely there could be just a few.

Jacob Abel, Dale Coyne Racing

Picture by: Penske Leisure

Beer Me

It was one thing majestic to see the Miller Excessive Life colours on an Indy automotive final yr courtesy of Jacob Abel and Dale Coyne Racing.

We want extra of it.

Truthfully, how cool wouldn’t it be if Rahal was supported by Miller Lite? Even when it occurred for one or just a few races in the identical livery his father ran throughout his ultimate seasons as a driver again in 1997-98. Hell, go break that drought, Graham, and let Miller Lite fall from the heavens like rain within the Amazon.

Degree Up

There isn’t any denying how large FOX Sports activities has been to IndyCar, particularly now having partial possession of the sequence.

All 17 races had been on community tv and noticed a median of 1,362,000 viewers, based on Nielsen Media Analysis, making it the most-watched season in 17 years. It was large progress in comparison with 2024 when races had been seen on a wide range of NBC’s household of networks.

And this yr, with the spherical at Nashville following the ultimate of the FIFA World Cup on July 19, there’s an opportunity to seize tens of millions of people that depart their televisions on FOX after the sport.

It might be extraordinary on so many ranges if this easy scheduling catapults curiosity for the remainder of the yr, particularly if there’s an in depth title struggle within the works, too. The probabilities might be countless if viewership rises, not solely in sponsorship curiosity, however perhaps even bolstering the schedule for the longer term. Oh, and it definitely couldn’t damage the probabilities of that elusive third OEM.

Patricio O’ward, Arrow McLaren

Picture by: Penske Leisure

Mexico

Whereas a race in Mexico for this yr gained’t occur, one for the longer term may nonetheless be finalized. I’m unsure anybody needed to commerce Markham for Toronto when going to Canada, however at the least IndyCar’s management discovered a technique to hold the game in The Land of Maple.

By now, everybody is aware of Pato O’Ward, a local of Mexico, is – by a large margin – IndyCar’s hottest driver. And the fanbase is salivating over an opportunity to have extra races past the borders of america. The fixed talks of being on the precipice of getting a race in Argentina, Brazil or elsewhere is as tiring because the third OEM search.

So, my final want is that IndyCar – and FOX – lastly make it occur and work by means of the politics and monetary logistics with the promoters to take the sequence again to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

We would like your opinion!

– The Motorsport.com Group