The engines are revving, the anticipation is sky-high, and the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season is finally upon us. As the green flag prepares to wave over the sun-drenched streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, on March 1, fans and teams alike are bracing themselves for what promises to be the most compelling IndyCar campaign in recent memory. With a record 18 races on the docket—the busiest calendar since 2014—major schedule shakeups, blockbuster driver moves, and a field brimming with both seasoned champions and fresh faces, the stage is set for a year that could rewrite the history books.
All eyes are, of course, on Álex Palou. The 28-year-old Spaniard is coming off a 2025 season that can only be described as magical. Eight wins. Fourteen podiums. A maiden Indianapolis 500 victory. And, perhaps most impressively, a third consecutive championship, cementing his status as one of the sport’s all-time greats. As he chases a fifth title in six years, Palou stands on the brink of joining Sebastien Bourdais as the only driver in series history to win four straight. "I think 2025 was so strange, so good, so magical … it’s very hard to get there. That doesn’t mean that nobody can or that I cannot do it again, but you need so many things to go right to get eight wins, to win the 500, to win the championship," Palou reflected, according to the Associated Press. "Although I would love to have another season like 2025, I am pretty certain that it’s probably not going to happen again for me. But I’ll try. I’ll try."
Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing team remains a juggernaut, powered by Honda and stacked with talent. Scott Dixon, a six-time champion in his own right, is hungry for redemption after a one-win 2025 campaign that saw him finish third overall, buoyed by a victory at Mid-Ohio. Kyffin Simpson, meanwhile, continues to impress as he matures, notching a podium in Toronto and four additional top-five finishes last year. With the Ganassi stable firing on all cylinders, the question isn’t so much whether they’ll be in the title hunt—but who, if anyone, can stop them?
Arrow McLaren is hoping to be that challenger. Pato O’Ward, now entering his prime, delivered his strongest season yet in 2025 with two wins and five podiums, finishing as championship runner-up. O’Ward’s star power and charisma have made him a face of the series, and with McLaren’s Formula 1 team now double world champions, expectations are at an all-time high. Nolan Seigel, just 21, faces a pivotal year after a rocky first full-time season; team principal Tony Kanaan didn’t mince words, stating, "[Seigel] needs to finish in the top 10 in the championship and if not, I don’t think I can keep him." Christian Lundgaard, ever-consistent and frequently on the podium, now seeks only his second career win to complete his resume. And don’t forget, the legendary Ryan Hunter-Reay will make a special appearance in McLaren colors at the 2026 Indy 500, piloting the No. 31 entry.
Team Penske, usually synonymous with success, is looking to bounce back from a 2025 season that was, by their lofty standards, a disaster. A double disqualification at St. Pete and a nightmare May set the tone, and while Josef Newgarden and Will Power salvaged late-season wins, the team finished with Newgarden 12th and Scott McLaughlin ninth in the standings. Will Power’s turbulent exit from Penske—after winning the organization’s last title in 2022—was a seismic shift. Power, who turns 45 on opening day, now brings his formidable experience to Andretti Global, joining a revitalized squad under new team principal Ron Ruzewski, another Penske alum. "It’s really difficult to understand, like, are we missing anything? Are we good or bad? We won’t know that until we actually have our first race," Power admitted, capturing the uncertainty and excitement of a new era for the Andretti camp.
Andretti Global, meanwhile, is buzzing with optimism. Kyle Kirkwood is coming off a breakout campaign featuring three wins and a fourth-place championship finish, while Marcus Ericsson’s experience adds further depth. The addition of Power and Ruzewski is seen as a potential game-changer. As Kirkwood told David Land at Daytona, "Some of our biggest weaknesses are some of Penske’s biggest strengths. Having [Power and Ruzewski’s] knowledge coming over, knowing what a good car feels like and looks like, is something that’s going to excel us in some of the places that maybe we weren’t as good."
But it’s not just the big names that have everyone talking. Meyer Shank Racing is coming off a strong 2025, retaining Felix Rosenqvist and Marcus Armstrong—both of whom showed serious pace at the Sebring pre-season test. Minority stakeholder Hélio Castroneves, a living legend, returns for his 26th Indy 500 attempt. Ed Carpenter Racing, with Christian Rasmussen and Alexander Rossi, has also looked sharp, with Rossi clocking a blistering 174.542 mph lap at the Unser Open Test in Phoenix.
The midfield is brimming with intrigue. Dale Coyne Racing fields an all-new lineup: reigning INDY NXT champion Dennis Hauger and F1 veteran Romain Grosjean, who returns after a year as a reserve driver. Rinus VeeKay, after a year with Coyne, jumps to Juncos Hollinger Racing, joining Sting Ray Robb. A. J. Foyt Racing, meanwhile, bets on youth with INDY NXT runner-up Caio Collet alongside Santino Ferrucci. Yet perhaps the biggest story is the full-time IndyCar debut of Mick Schumacher, son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher. After stints in Formula 1 and the World Endurance Championship, the 26-year-old German is ready to tackle North American open-wheel racing with Rahal Letterman Lanigan. He’ll be learning the ropes of oval racing from veteran teammate Graham Rahal. Schumacher shared, "I’m very curious and interested in learning about that. The good thing is we have Graham on board, who has done a couple of these races in his lifetime, and therefore I can learn very much from him."
And what a schedule awaits them all! The 2026 calendar is the most ambitious in over a decade, featuring 18 races and a record four events in March alone. After the St. Pete opener, the series returns to Phoenix International Raceway for the first time since 2018, teams up with NASCAR for a blockbuster weekend, and then heads to the all-new street circuit around AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The month wraps up at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. Other highlights include a return to Milwaukee Mile—replacing Iowa’s doubleheader—a new Canadian stop in Markham, and a special Freedom 250 in Washington, D.C., celebrating America’s 250th birthday. The Nashville Superspeedway will host a 400-mile race under the lights right after the FIFA World Cup final, and the grand finale returns to the iconic Laguna Seca on September 6.
With so many storylines, new faces, and schedule twists, the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season is shaping up to be a can’t-miss spectacle. As teams prepare to unleash their machines on the streets of St. Petersburg, the only certainty is that fans are in for a wild, unpredictable ride from start to finish.