Power: IndyCar future likely to be decided after season

Credit: James Black

Will Power has admitted his IndyCar future will likely not be decided until after the season as his contract expires with Team Penske.

The 2014 and 2022 series champion joined Penske in 2009 but is awaiting clarity on whether he will stay with the team for 2026. There is widespread belief that David Malukas - currently driving for Penske’s technical partners AJ Foyt Racing - has a deal in place to drive for Penske in the future.

“Nothing’s changed,” Power said of his future. “Same scenario. I don’t think anyone will know until after the season.”

Certainly, taking his first pole since sweeping the P1 Awards at Iowa Speedway - almost two years ago - at World Wide Technology Raceway, better known as Gateway, this weekend has not done Power’s chances of staying at Penske any harm.

“Anytime you’re P1 in any session, it’s just little bits of credit,” he said. “One race win would be one chunk of credit. You just have to keep doing that - just the nature of this series. It’s very competitive right now. 

“Teams are looking for top-level drivers. It’s come down to that - people that can execute week in and week out. You’ve got to keep putting wins on the board.”

After going winless in 2023 - off the back of winning the title the season prior - amid off-track personal issues relating to the health of his wife Liz, Power returned to the winners’ circle three times last year. 

But as IndyCar’s statistically greatest-ever qualifier, a 29-race run without a pole was frustrating, even if he achieved four front-row starts and started inside the top 10 on 14 occasions last season.

“It has been a while,” Power said. “Been on the front row a few times. It’s nice to get a pole always - one point and get to lead the field to green. It will be nice to see nothing in front of me for the first time in a while.”

Credit: Chris Jones

His Gateway pole, edging out teammate Scott McLaughlin - winner of the last two poles at the track - is the 71st of Power’s career. He was the only driver to run both laps at an average speed of 180 mph for a two-lap average of 180.329 mph.

“It would be nice to get to 80 [career poles],” Power said. “I’ve had eight in a year so it’s not impossible. Obviously tough these days. Every time you get one… bloody amazing. Especially at this point in my career, anytime I get a P1 in any of these sessions - qualifying or the race - big deal. Big deal. I love it.”

Power won at Gateway in 2018 and Newgarden has five of Penske’s nine wins at the track, including last year and four of the last five visits overall. And with Power sharing the front row with McLaughlin - beating him by over 0.5 mph - and Josef Newgarden qualifying fifth, Penske’s stellar form at Gateway looks to be continuing.

While team owner Roger Penske is preoccupied with his sportscar team in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Power’s pole is a landmark 700th for Penske across all championships.

“That’s nuts, man,” Power said. “I’ve got one-tenth of his poles. Do the math there!”

It is an ideal opportunity for Penske to rebound from a challenging season so far. They have not won since McLaughlin’s victory in the penultimate round of the season in Milwaukee last year, with an eight-race drought their longest since a 10-race winless stretch at the start of 2021.

Each Penske driver has finished third once this season. But despite pressure surrounding his future at the team, Power leads both of his teammates in the championship; he entered Gateway fifth while McLaughlin sits eighth and Newgarden languishes in 12th.

An unfortunate opening-lap DNF in St. Petersburg and challenging Indianapolis 500 aside, Power has four top-five results and a sixth-place finish in 2025. He has raced well after being set back by unusually subpar qualifying displays - his best start 13th in the first three rounds.

Credit: James Black

“I think we had the capability to [win] in the first half of the season,” Power said. “It just hasn’t played out, whether it’s through qualifying or strategy in the race. St. Pete was just unfortunate for me - those things happen. But the rest have been very strong races. 

“To win a race, you’ve got to start at the very front. That’s not absolutely true but it certainly helps. That’s where I feel we’ve lacked for the first half of the season.”

Power may have entered the weekend 136 points adrift of runaway championship leader Álex Palou, but he believes his own consistency could stand him in good stead later in the season.

“You’ve got to execute in the race,” Power said. “We’ve been quick all year. In IndyCar, things just play out - a lot of ups and downs. Consistency this year will help you, apart from Álex winning all those races. 

“Even he had a bad race last week. It just takes a couple of them and a couple of good races for us, we’re within striking distance. It’s obviously a big points lead but absolutely not impossible.”

Power is by no means ready to leave the series, even if he does not get renewed at Penske. At 44 years old - and after running Palou close last season - he sincerely believes he is in the best shape of his career. 

“I really do believe that,” Power said. “I feel that. I’ve obviously done this for a long time. I know the craft very well.”