IndyCar Weekly: Contracts confirmed and champions crowned
- Dan Jones
- 3 minutes ago
- 16 min read
Although we are now in the depths of the IndyCar off-season, the talking points don't stop off-track, with plenty of news up and down the IndyCar and Indy NXT paddocks, with IndyCar Weekly providing your round-up for the last seven days. With a key announcement in the driver market, continual on-track testing and even movement in the engineer market, it has been a busy week for IndyCar.
Collet to step up to IndyCar with Foyt
This week saw one of the biggest remaining question marks in the IndyCar driver market answered, as Caio Collet was confirmed to step up from Indy NXT to IndyCar, driving the No.4 AJ Foyt Racing entry for the full 17-race season.
Collet took three victories and nine podiums in Indy NXT this year, ultimately finishing second in points behind Dennis Hauger. The 23-year-old from São Paulo, Brazil will partner Santino Ferrucci at the team, as he replaces the outgoing David Malukas, who signed with Penske earlier this off-season to replace Will Power.
"I’m very happy to join AJ Foyt Racing in IndyCar and thankful to Larry for trusting my skills and giving me this fantastic opportunity," said Collet. "It is a dream come true after years of hard work in developing series since my early go-karting experiences. I’m thankful to all teams and sponsors that helped me through my career, especially Marcelo Camargo from Combitrans Amazonia, that joined our Indy NXT campaign this season and will be with us next year. IndyCar is huge in Brazil and I’m looking forward to bringing its flag back to a full-time seat in the 2026 season."
Collet will become the first full-time Brazilian since Pietro Fittipaldi, who raced for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2024.
Collet is one of many in recent years to make the switch to the IndyCar ladder after spending several years in the European system. The Brazilian was crowned French F4 champion in 2018 and finished second in the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2020. In three seasons of Formula 3, Collet took three victories, with a best finish of eighth in the championship. He made the move to Indy NXT in 2024, where he finished third, claiming Rookie of the Year.
"Caio is a welcome addition to AJ Foyt Racing. He has shown great potential in Indy NXT by Firestone and in the junior formulas in Europe," said AJ Foyt Racing Team President Larry Foyt. "I was impressed with how he adapted to our car at the recent Mid-Ohio test and I'm very excited to see what he can do in IndyCar. There's no doubt that he will be a strong contender in the battle for Rookie of the Year."
Collet has already tested multiple times with the team - starting off with a rookie evaluation test at Mid-Ohio last month. Collet tested again with the team in mid-October at Indianapolis and completed his first oval test at Nashville Superspeedway this week.
He joins his Indy NXT title rival, Hauger, in the battle for the 2026 Rookie of the Year.
"Caio Collet’s dream is our dream," said Marcelo Camargo, owner and president of Combitrans Amazonia. "Brazil deserves the excitement of a full-time IndyCar driver. We are thrilled to be part of this project with AJ Foyt Racing and carrying the Brazilian flag among so many global brands in IndyCar."
With Foyt's confirmation of Collet in the No.4, the only confirmed available seat is Hauger's teammate at Dale Coyne Racing. Devlin DeFrancesco and Sting Ray Robb did have multi-year deals at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Juncos Hollinger Racing respectively, but have not been confirmed to return to either of their entries in 2026, with both seats believed to be up for grabs.
Kirkwood signs multi-year extension with Andretti
This week also saw further driver market news as Kyle Kirkwood signed a multi-year contract extension with Andretti Global to keep him at the team for 2026 and beyond.
Kirkwood was set to be a free agent at the conclusion of the 2026 season, in a driver market that is already expected to be particularly busy. However, his renewal with the team answers what was one of the (very early) biggest unknowns for what the 2027 IndyCar grid will look like.
“These are very exciting times for myself, Andretti Global and TWG Motorsports," said Kirkwood. "I’d first like to thank the entire team and especially Dan Towriss and Jill Gregory for putting their trust in me. We’ve had an amazing three years together and our future together is very bright. We have proven to be true contenders, and most recently, championship contenders.
"Our trajectory has only been up, and I am confident that we will be fighting again for championships. Between the new shop, leadership, teammates and the many evolving factors within the organization, I believe this team is an absolute powerhouse, and we’re so excited for the journey ahead.”
2025 saw a breakout season for Kirkwood, who claimed three victories which a first oval win, on his way to a career-best fourth in the championship as he finished as the top Andretti driver in points. 2026 will mark Kirkwood's fourth year at the Indianapolis-based outfit, as he lines up alongside Marcus Ericsson and Will Power - who replaced the Formula 2-bound Colton Herta earlier this off-season.
The team state that: "Kirkwood’s extension is central to that vision in retaining talent and consistency to embody the competitive spirit that defines both organizations. As a proven race winner and rising star within the Andretti lineup, Kirkwood represents the next generation of leadership on track, anchoring the team’s pursuit of championships while reflecting TWG’s broader commitment to cultivating excellence across its global motorsports platform."
Kirkwood joined Andretti in 2023 - in a season where he claimed victories at Long Beach and Nashville, after spending his rookie season in 2022 at AJ Foyt Racing. Kirkwood had a notorious reputation as a junior after dominating all of the USF2000, Indy Pro 2000 and Indy Lights championships in consecutive seasons.
“Kyle represents exactly what we strive for across TWG Motorsports and Andretti Global," said Andreti Global President, Jill Gregory. "His blueprint for success has made him a key part of our IndyCar lineup defined by talent, tenacity and a relentless drive to win. Kyle’s growth and ambition reflect the strength of Andretti Global and our commitment to developing world-class competitors on and off the track.”
With long-time Andretti prospect Herta no longer part of the team, Kirkwood will likely be seen as Andretti's most realistic championship prospect for 2026 and beyond, particularly after securing his long-term future with one of IndyCar's most reputable organisations.
Indy cars back on track at Phoenix
With IndyCar set to return to Phoenix Raceway for the first time since 2018 in March next year, Alexander Rossi and Scott Dixon were on-track to conduct two days of tyre testing ahead of the IndyCar-NASCAR double-header weekend in the Spring.
Rossi and Dixon shared duties in testing various different compounds, with the two Indianapolis 500 winners providing feedback on the different tyre types ahead of Firestone picking a compound in the spring.
“This is a super-important one for the series, to try and make sure we choose the right tyre,” Rossi said. “With how close IndyCar racing has gotten now, with how dynamic short-oval racing can be, a lot of that is about choosing the right tyre. The more that we’ve done these tests, the better the race product we put on.
“So, I’m really honored to be a part of it and help kind of steer the direction of what this race will be in March.”
Josef Newgarden won at Phoenix on IndyCar's last visit, with Graham Rahal, Will Power, Rossi and Dixon the other active drivers who competed in that race. Dixon found himself victorious in the Arizona desert in 2016.
“It’s definitely great to be back here at Phoenix,” Dixon said. “Definitely lots of great memories. The test is going well. It’s great that IndyCar and Firestone are working hard to create opportunities for racing, not just here at Phoenix but for some of the other tracks down the road, short ovals especially. It’s cool to be actually back doing a full-on tyre test.”
Since IndyCar last visited, the track went a significant re-configuration, where the location of the start/finish straight was shifted to the other side of the oval. It also meant that the location of each corner number changed - a challenge for Rossi - "I’m still very much calling that Turn 1 and 2 and that Turn 3 and 4 (whilst pointing at the old corners).”
The re-configuration to start/finish also saw the introduction of the dogleg, which commonly sees stock cars completely eliminate the banked kink after the start/finish straight and dramatically cut across the flat section of track on starts and restarts. With the re-introduction to the oval bumpy and drivers sitting much closer to the ground in Indy cars, don't expect to see drivers utilising it in March.
“Pit exit has changed a little bit,” Dixon said. “I think the kink (on the oval) and how they’ve moved the back wall, the grandstand is not where it used to be, the start-finish is on the other side. I guess everything has changed. As far as the old track when I first came in the early 2000s, it’s kind of flipped on its head.”
Both Rossi and Dixon's cars were tested on low boost to bring down the speeds - lapping approximately 1.5 seconds slower than Sébastien Bourdais' pole time in 2018 of a 19.5034. Dixon stated that he expects this to be closer to a second once the package is finalised - mainly due to the limited power and the additional weight of the hybrid and aeroscreen.
Tyres will be a talking point in Phoenix, after several dramatic tyre failures ultimately decided the result of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race last weekend, with Firestone making preparations early ahead of IndyCar's surprise return - and the return of an oval race before the Indianapolis 500.
“This is a really cool market to be in,” Rossi concluded. “Everyone loves coming to the Phoenix-Scottsdale area. A good one to add to the calendar. It gives everyone a chance to get their oval legs before they head to the big one."
Collet and Hauger complete first oval test at Nashville
Dixon and Rossi weren't the only drivers out on track in an Indy car this week, as Collet and Hauger prepared for their rookie seasons by being approved to race on all ovals outside of the Indianapolis 500 - starting with IndyCar's event at Phoenix.
As they will be for 2026, Hauger tested with Dale Coyne Racing whilst Collet was with his new employers at AJ Foyt Racing, as the pair completed the series' rookie oval test at Nashville Superspeedway.
Hauger said that he "liked the speed" on Instagram, whilst Collet stated “Super-nice day, my first time driving an Indy car on an oval and also on a superspeedway like Nashville. I enjoyed it a lot today. Big thanks to the team.”
The pair, who finished first and second on the Indy NXT championship this year, are the two currently confirmed to be competing for the Rookie of the Year award and the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award.
The passing of the first oval test also makes both drivers eligible to complete Rookie Orientation Practice for the Indianapolis 500, which both are set to complete in late April in the building up to next years' 110th Running of the 'Greatest Spectacle in Racing.'
Familiar faces confirmed for IMSA races
As is the case every year, several names from up and down the IndyCar and Indy NXT fields are set to participate in IMSA's endurance races, headlined by the 24 Hours of Daytona which takes place on January 24th-25th next year. Colton Herta was confirmed to drive the No.40 Cadillac last week, with further names confirmed this week, headed by those at Meyer Shank Racing's Acura entries.
Due to the length of the Daytona race, four drivers are required for each entry, creating an enticing opportunity for IndyCar drivers to go racing before the season begins in early March on the Streets of St. Petersburg. The likes of Hélio Castroneves, Simon Pagenaud, Pato O'Ward, Newgarden and Herta have won the race in their respective classes in recent years. IndyCar drivers are also often seen at the 12 Hours of Sebring, held in March and the season finale at Road Atlanta, usually held in October.
Palou and Dixon confirmed at Meyer Shank Acura
As was the case in 2025, Dixon will return to Meyer Shank Racing's line-up in the No.60, as part of Meyer Shank Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing's alliance, with the New Zealander competing in Daytona, Sebring and Road Atlanta. He will line-up alongside ex-IndyCar drivers Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun in addition to AJ Allmendinger, who currently races in the NASCAR Cup Series and previously in Champ Car between 2004 and 2006 and a brief stint in IndyCar in 2013.
Álex Palou will race in Meyer Shank's sister entry in the No.93, which he will share with Kakunoshin Ohta, Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly. Palou raced in both Daytona and Sebring last year and will add Road Atlanta to his schedule once the IndyCar season concludes.
“I am super excited about Scott (Dixon), Alex (Palou) and Kaku (Ohta) returning to their endurance roles in 2026,” said Mike Shank, owner of Meyer Shank Racing. “They’re all mega pros and now have a year of experience together alongside our amazing full-time drivers. This will go a long way in delivering Acura big results.”
Rasmussen returns for Daytona LMP2 bid
Christian Rasmussen will also feature at the 24 Hours of Daytona, after being confirmed to return with AO Racing in the LMP2 class. Rasmussen won the LMP2 class in 2024 with ERA Motorsport, where the Danish driver greatly impressed, before coming fifth in class with AO in 2025. He will share driving duties with the teams full-time drivers P.J. Hyett and Dane Cameron as well as their endurance-only driver in Jonny Edgar.
“A wise man once said, ‘If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,’” said Team Principal Gunnar Jeannette. “Our LMP2 crew and Spike had such a great 2025 season that we want to do the same thing for 2026. PJ, Dane, Jonny, and Christian all performed fantastically for us over the course of the year, and we look forward to getting 2026 started at the November Daytona test.”
Fittipaldi brothers to share LMP2 entry at Daytona
Rasmussen will face competition in the LMP2 class from both Pietro and Enzo Fittipaldi, as the brothers share an entry for the first time in their careers. Pietro will complete a full season with Pratt Miller Motorsports in the No.73 entry alongside Chris Cumming, with Manuel Epírito Santo participating in the endurance rounds. Pietro has competed in the Daytona 24 Hours for the last three years, with a best finish of fifth in class.
Enzo, who was announced last week to race with HMD Motorsports in Indy NXT for 2026, will join his brother for Daytona - marking the first time the younger Fittipaldi has competed in the race. Pietro raced in IndyCar during three different stints, most recently a full-time ride for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2024. The brothers' first cousin once-removed, Christian, won the race in 2004, 2014 and 2018. Their uncle, Max Papis, also won the race in 2002 - as the brothers look to add to their family's history motorsport legacy.
Silly season continues - this time for team personnel!
The attention of silly season is always filled by the 27 drivers that will make up next years' field, however, the last week has seen it's own form of silly season, with key team personnel and engineers shifting between teams ahead of 2026.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) have made a double swoop of Arrow McLaren personnel, with Brian Barnhart and Kyle Sagan joining the team. Barnhart joins RLL as the teams' Senior Vice-President of Operations as he departs his role as McLaren's General Manager.
Barnhart will work alongside Jay Frye once again, the pair previously together as part of IndyCar's race operations - the latter formerly holding the IndyCar President role until earlier this year. After leaving his role as IndyCar Race Director in 2017, Barnhart took up roles since at Harding Steinbrenner Racing as team president, Andretti Autosport as a strategist and later Arrow McLaren.
As he did for Christian Lundgaard and Alexander Rossi at Arrow McLaren, Barnhart will continue to hold a role on the timing stand, being the race strategist for Graham Rahal on the No.15 car.
Sagan joins the team as Pitstop Manager, after previously having success in a similar role with Chip Ganassi Racing and later McLaren.
McLaren have made signings of their own though, as Olivier Boisson moves to the papaya-coloured outfit as their Head of Damper Engineering. Boisson has a storied history in IndyCar, previously serving as an engineer with KV Racing Technology between 2008 and 2016. He then moved to Dale Coyne Racing as a race engineer, where he acted on Romain Grosjean's stand in the Frenchman's rookie season. Boisson moved to Andretti with Grosjean ahead of the 2022 season where he has continued to hold the role of race engineer.
Boisson was engineering Marcus Ericsson until mid-season, where a string of disappointing results saw a re-shuffle in the crew on the No.29 stand.
Arrow McLaren Team Principal, Tony Kanaan, said that the team needed a damper "guru" and said he thought it was 'very interesting' once he knew of Boisson's availability. Kanaan states that the expectation is for Boisson to help develop the younger employees in the engineering department.
De Tullio to step up to Indy NXT with Foyt
It's been a busy week for AJ Foyt Racing, who in addition to announcing Collet, have also announced the first of their two Indy NXT drivers for 2026, with Alessandro de Tullio being confirmed as the team prepare for their return to IndyCar's primary feeder series.
De Tullio tested with the team at the recent Chris Griffis Memorial Test and will make the step up from the USF Pro 2000 championship, where the 19-year-old finished fourth in the championship, claiming four wins.
“I am very excited to join AJ Foyt Racing for the 2026 Indy NXT season,” said de Tullio. “This is an amazing opportunity to take the next step in my career with such a respected and historic team. I’ve learned a lot, especially last year in USF Pro 2000, and I’m ready to apply that experience as I continue pushing myself to improve. I can’t wait to get started with the team and show what we can accomplish together.”
The Italian-American has had a short single-seater career, where he finished fourth in the USF Juniors championship in 2022. De Tullio did not return to a full season of racing until this year, where he won three of the opening four races with Turn 3 Motorsport and claimed a further three podiums.
“Alessandro has shown impressive pace and determination throughout his career so far,” AJ Foyt Racing Team President Larry Foyt said. “He’s proven he can adapt quickly and deliver results, which is exactly what we look for in a young driver. We’re excited to have him join the AJ Foyt Racing family and look forward to helping him develop in Indy NXT.”
As previously announced, Foyt's two entries for 2026 will be supported by HMD Motorsports, who had to downsize from nine cars due to a four-car restriction created this off-season. Nicholas Monteiro tested alongside de Tullio at Foyt in the recent Indianapolis test, but the team are yet to confirm a second driver.
Gainbridge to continue Indy 500 sponsorship in multi-year deal
This week also saw Gainbridge confirmed to continue as the presenting sponsor for the Indianapolis 500 in what the series describe as a "multi-year sponsorship." Gainbridge has been sponsoring 'the Greatest Spectacle in Racing' since 2019 and has a prominent presence in IndyCar, having been the long-term sponsor of the No.26 Andretti Global entry, previously driven by Herta and Zach Veach.
“Partnering with the Indianapolis 500 is a natural fit for Gainbridge, reflecting our shared commitment to success, innovation and making every second count,” said Group 1001 President and CEO Dan Towriss. “The Indianapolis 500 holds special significance to Hoosiers and fans across the world. We’re excited for this next chapter in our partnership and honored to celebrate the skilled drivers and the dedicated fans.”
“Our partnership with Gainbridge aligns two brands with a shared passion for growth and world-class customer experience,” Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles said. “Renewing this relationship with a multiyear agreement showcases the strength and continued relevance of the Indy 500, an iconic event with the perfect entitlement partner to fuel a momentous future.”
Next years 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on May 24th 2026 and will celebrate the United States' 250th birthday year.
IndyCar driver wins some stock car championship
A few days prior to Rossi and Dixon testing at Phoenix, the oval played host to the finale of some stock car championship, maybe more commonly known as the NASCAR Cup Series.
The race saw Kyle Larson crowned as a NASCAR Cup Series Champion for the second time in his career, after previously tasting success in 2021. Larson became the first driver to race in the Indianapolis 500 and win the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in the same season and has spent his days following the finale conducting a media tour in New York - much like the Indianapolis 500 Champion usually does.
Larson has been present at the Indianapolis 500 for the last two years as he attempted the task commonly known as 'The Double,' competing in the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend.
Larson impressed greatly in his first 'Month of May' in 2024, as he qualified fifth and led multiple laps on his way to claiming Rookie of the Year. However, due to weather delays, Larson was unable to reach Charlotte in time after finishing 18th at the Indianapolis 500 and had to patiently wait until he was awarded a waiver for the playoffs.
Larson, McLaren and his NASCAR outfit, Hendrick Motorsports, tried to make amends in 2025 but it saw Larson endure a more difficult month, as he crashed in the April Open Test before crashing on Fast Friday. Larson's attempts were cut short again as he crashed out mid-way through of the '500' and was unable to complete all 600 miles in Charlotte.
Earlier this year, Larson stated that 2025 would likely be his last Indianapolis 500 for "the time being," mainly due to the extreme travelling between North Carolina and Indiana for the two weeks of build-up to 'the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.' Larson did add that he does plan to return to the race at some point in the future once his full-time Cup career is over.
'The Double' was in further talks this week, after Trackhouse Racing owner, Justin Marks, confirmed that highly-rated youngster, Connor Zilisch, would not compete in the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 - but did add that there could be plans to enter Zilisch in the race in the future.
"It’s not a secret that I would like our company to race the Indy 500. It’s got to be done the right way. I would like to do The Double," Marks said. "If we decide to do something like that, Connor would certainly be at the top of our list. But to do that we have to do it the right way, and I certainly don’t want to do it his rookie year.”
Zilisch mightily impressed in his rookie campaign in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this year, where he claimed 10 victories and 20 top five finishes, as he agonisingly missed out on a championship to Jesse Love. Zilisch will move to the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2026 with Trackhouse Racing driving the No.88 entry, with the American seen as one of the brightest young stars in motorsport.
When probed if Trackhouse could be on-track at Indianapolis as soon as 2027, Marks stated: "Possibly, yeah."
2025 saw Trackhouse compete in the 24 Hours of Daytona, as Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin lined up alongside Zilisch, Bronze-rated supremo Ben Keating and three-time Australian Supercars Champion Shane van Gisbergen.
Zilisch's loss to Love, as well as Larson's victory over Denny Hamlin has continued to stir controversy about NASCAR's playoff system. Zilisch dominated the season but lost to Love on the outcome of the finale at Phoenix, whilst Hamlin was in control for all of the Cup Series' finale at Phoenix only for his eternal wait for a first championship was continued after several tyre failures allowed Larson to claim the title on strategy.
NASCAR look set to change their format to crown a champion for next season after this years' controversy, but a playoff system continues to be rumoured in IndyCar circles as a short-term way of growing the series. Look out on the DIVEBOMB website later this week with in-depth analysis on this topic with insights from Kyle Kirkwood and Álex Palou, as well as further exclusive analysis on the topic from Will Buxton, Townsend Bell and Louis Foster.
