Will Power Embraces Andretti Global Challenge With AI Edge

Will Power, the two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion and 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner, is turning the page on a storied 17-year run with Team Penske, embracing new challenges and fresh opportunities with Andretti Global as the 2026 season approaches. While some might expect lingering bitterness after such a seismic career shift, Power’s attitude is anything but acrimonious. In fact, he’s doubling down on gratitude, competitive fire, and a renewed sense of purpose alongside teammates Marcus Ericsson and Kyle Kirkwood.

Power’s departure from Team Penske at the end of last season marked the end of an era: 42 of his 45 career victories, an IndyCar-record 71 pole positions, and two series crowns were all achieved under the guidance of Roger Penske and his iconic organization. But as Power made clear during his annual IndyCar Content Days interview, there’s no bad blood—just a mutual respect and a shared history that both sides are eager to commemorate.

“Man, Roger gave me a great career. They just had this situation—he offered me a year. It wasn’t like, ‘You’re not coming back.’ He offered me to come back. But pretty far down the road at that point,” Power explained to reporters. “The relationship is good. I’ll always be grateful for what he did for my career and what he’s done for the sport. I was lucky to drive for that long, and I could have continued, but I wanted sort of a longer-term contract. Also for myself, I wanted to know what can I do on another team. Tremendous respect for Roger and the whole organization.”

If there’s any lingering drama, it’s more playful than pointed. When Power last visited the Team Penske shop, his longtime colleagues surprised him with a plaque depicting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, signed by everyone—except Roger Penske himself. “Everyone on the team signed it, except Roger,” Power recounted, before quickly clarifying, “He didn’t say, ‘No, I’m not signing it.’ I just want to clear that up. He did not say, I’m not signing it.”

Power’s lighthearted jab at the media—“I know what you guys are like, it’s like, ‘oh, it’ll be a headline!’”—underscored his awareness of how such moments can be spun. He even imagined a tongue-in-cheek exchange with Penske: “I can only imagine Roger calling,” Power joked, “and the conversation would go like this: Penske: What’s this? I didn’t even know about it. Power: Yeah, sorry. It’s the media. It’s not me.”

Intent on closing that chapter on a high note, Power had planned to bring the plaque to Daytona during the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona race weekend on January 24-25, 2026, where he competed for the 75 Express team in the GTD Pro class. “I would like him to [sign it],” Power said. “I’ll get him to sign the plaque.”

Now, Power’s focus is squarely on Andretti Global, where he’s already begun integrating with his new team and acclimating to the Honda-powered No. 26 car previously piloted by Colton Herta. The transition, he says, has been seamless. “Feels normal. It’s just business as normal for me. It’s about competition,” he stated. “You’re in a team. You’re trying to get the most out of the car and working closely with the engineers. You’re on the Honda sim, all the same stuff. You’re not really distracted by ‘I wonder what they’re doing at Penske’ or ‘It’s strange.’ Not that difficult. It’s just a part of my life now.”

Power did admit to one small moment of nostalgia: during Content Days at Indianapolis, he instinctively reached for the familiar Verizon-branded suit—only to realize it now belonged to David Malukas. “It’s not even registering the difference,” he said, underscoring his determination to look forward rather than back.

One of the most intriguing developments in Power’s fresh start is his partnership with TWG AI, his new primary sponsor and Andretti Global’s marketing partner. The collaboration promises to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of race preparation, strategy, and execution. According to the team’s press release, Power will play a key role in “translating intelligence into outcomes, integrating real-time insight, predictive modeling, and continuous feedback” to impact race-day decisions.

“Racing is about making the right decisions at the right moment, with no margin for hesitation,” Power said in the release. “The partnership with TWG AI is focused on building intelligence that actually fits how we race. We can embed intelligence into every competitive decision we make and create tools that help the team perform when it matters most.”

While the specifics of the AI integration remain under wraps, Power did share that TWG AI representatives have already been working closely with Andretti’s engineers. “We’re definitely going to utilize our relationship with them, trying to create some good programs for the engineers to be able to understand what direction to go very quickly,” he said. “But I can’t go into too much detail of what that entails, but it’s very good stuff.”

At 44 years old, Power is showing no signs of slowing down. Despite speculation about potential retirement, he’s adamant that he remains at the top of his game. “I just love competing. I love doing this. It’s really enjoyable. I’ve got a ton of experience. It would be a pity to stop when you’re really still on top of your game. A lot of work, 20 years of work, 20 years of IndyCar racing and still able to win races and poles. It’s just very difficult to do in this series. That’s sort of why I keep going.”

Power’s competitive drive is undiminished, and he’s already logged one test session in his new Andretti Global race car. Next up: crucial tests at Phoenix Raceway and Sebring, Florida, scheduled for February 2026. “Yeah, can’t wait to get in the car, get on track when everyone else is there. Definitely had a huge list of things that we want to test. I think we’ll make a nice jump. I think we’ve got some really good stuff,” Power said, hinting at the team’s optimism for the season ahead.

Meanwhile, Team Penske is also undergoing changes of its own. As of January 30, 2026, Tim Cindric has returned to the organization as the race strategist for Scott McLaughlin, adding another layer of intrigue to the evolving landscape of IndyCar’s top teams.

For Power, the mission is clear: compete at the highest level, embrace innovation, and chase victory—no matter the colors on his suit. “I’d definitely like to beat him [Penske], but I want to beat everyone. We’ve got to go out and win races,” he declared. With a new team, renewed motivation, and cutting-edge technology at his fingertips, Will Power is ready to write the next chapter of his remarkable career.

As preseason testing looms and anticipation builds, all eyes will be on Power and Andretti Global to see just how quickly this new partnership can translate experience and intelligence into results. Whatever happens, one thing’s certain: Power’s passion for racing—and his relentless pursuit of excellence—remains as fierce as ever.