Alex Palou wins 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES fourth straight title
- The 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season concluded with Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou capturing a fourth consecutive season championship and his fifth in six years, capping a...
- A major addition to the calendar was the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., held on Aug.
- Mick Schumacher joined Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s No.
The 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season concluded with Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou capturing a fourth consecutive season championship and his fifth in six years, capping a year that brought significant gains in television viewership and major schedule changes, indycar.com reported. Television ratings for races rose 23 percent year-over-year, driven by FOX’s broadcast commitment. Indianapolis Motor Speedway also secured its second consecutive sellout for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in May.
Washington D.C. Street Race Draws Millions
A major addition to the calendar was the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., held on Aug. 23. The event pulled in 3.28 million television viewers, making it the most-watched INDYCAR race outside of the Indianapolis 500 since 1995. Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood won the Washington event, which was one of three new street races introduced for the 2026 season alongside stops in Arlington and Markham.
Mick Schumacher Adapts to Ovals
Mick Schumacher joined Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s No. 47 Honda for his debut season in the series, securing Rookie of the Year runner-up honors behind Dale Coyne Racing’s Dennis Hauger. Schumacher qualified fourth in his oval debut at Phoenix Raceway and completed all 200 laps at the Indianapolis 500 to finish 18th and claim the race’s Rookie of the Year honors. He added strong oval finishes with a 16th at World Wide Technology Raceway, eighth at Nashville Superspeedway, and 13th and 12th place results during a doubleheader weekend at the Milwaukee Mile.
Felix Rosenqvist Wins Historic Indianapolis 500 Finish
Felix Rosenqvist secured his second career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory by winning the Indianapolis 500 in a record-setting finish. Rosenqvist passed Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian teammate Marcus Armstrong and chased down Team Penske race leader David Malukas on the final lap to win by 0.0233 seconds, marking the closest 1-2 finish in event history. The race also set an event record with 70 lead changes, surpassing the previous mark of 68 set in 2013.
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