INDYCAR Sebring Test: Armstrong Leads, Palou & Rookies Tested | 2026 Season Preview

SEBRING, FL – The NTT INDYCAR SERIES held a private team test at Sebring International Raceway on February 10-11, offering a valuable tune-up ahead of the March 1 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. While not officially designated an Open Test, the two days provided ample data points as teams prepare for the 2026 season. Twenty-four drivers took to the bumpy 1.67-mile road course, a layout intentionally chosen for its similarities to the temporary street circuits that define much of the INDYCAR SERIES schedule, including St. Petersburg.

Armstrong Signals Championship Potential

Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing emerged as a standout performer during the test, consistently demonstrating pace and suggesting a potential leap forward in his second full-time season. After a career-best eighth-place finish in the 2025 championship, Armstrong topped the time sheets in both sessions he participated in. His quickest lap of 52.373 seconds on Tuesday morning was the fastest building on a pace-setting performance of 52.847 seconds on Monday afternoon.

While Armstrong’s Monday afternoon time was only fifth overall for the day – behind Alex Palou (52.626), Felix Rosenqvist (52.650), Rinus VeeKay (52.756), and Josef Newgarden (52.846) – his consistent speed across both days positions him as a driver to watch closely as a potential breakout star and a contender for his first career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory.

Palou Remains a Force

Reigning and four-time series champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing unsurprisingly set the pace in the opening session on Monday, recording a lap of 52.626 seconds. The dominant force of the 2025 season, where he secured eight wins in 17 races, Palou demonstrated he remains a formidable competitor. However, he slipped to fifth in his Tuesday afternoon session with a time of 52.874, roughly four-tenths of a second behind Kyle Kirkwood’s leading time of 52.479.

Grosjean Eyes Coyne Return

The only seat remaining unconfirmed for the 2026 season is the teammate to rookie Dennis Hauger at Dale Coyne Racing. Veteran Romain Grosjean turned laps for the team on both Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon, potentially signaling a return to the team where he made his INDYCAR SERIES debut in 2021. Known as “The Phoenix” after surviving a fiery crash in a 2020 Formula One race, Grosjean posted a time of 53.798 in his Monday morning session, improving to 53.220 on Tuesday afternoon.

Grosjean previously raced for Coyne in 2021, then moved to Andretti Global for 2022–2023 and Juncos Hollinger Racing in 2024. He served as a reserve driver for PREMA Racing last season while competing in sports cars.

Ride Swaps and Adjustments

The offseason’s most prominent driver swap saw David Malukas move from AJ Foyt Racing to Team Penske, taking over the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet previously driven by two-time series champion Will Power, who in turn moved to Andretti Global. Malukas was methodical during his on-track time, finishing ninth in Monday morning’s session with a time of 53.442 seconds, and improving to 53.167 on Tuesday afternoon. He trailed teammate Josef Newgarden by nearly six-tenths in the morning and by just over a tenth in the afternoon.

Power experienced a slower start in his new ride, finishing ninth in Monday afternoon’s session with a time of 53.337 seconds. He showed improvement on Tuesday morning, placing third in his group with a time of 52.611 seconds, just 0.238 seconds behind Armstrong and 0.0258 seconds quicker than Scott McLaughlin.

Rookie Watch

Three drivers will compete for NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year honors in 2026. Caio Collet of AJ Foyt Racing posted the quickest lap among the rookies, recording a time of 52.891 seconds on Tuesday afternoon. Dennis Hauger, last year’s INDY NXT champion, was the second-fastest rookie with a time of 53.226 seconds in the No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing Honda.

Formula One veteran Mick Schumacher, continuing his adaptation to INDYCAR SERIES racing, improved his lap time from 54.269 seconds on Monday morning to 53.430 seconds on Tuesday afternoon. Hunter McElrea, who made one INDYCAR SERIES start in 2024, was the fastest overall among the drivers still considered rookies, clocking a time of 52.730 seconds on Tuesday morning while evaluating with Ed Carpenter Racing.

Next Stop: Phoenix

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will next be on track for an official sanctioning body test at Phoenix Raceway on February 17 and February 18. All teams and drivers are expected to participate on the 1.022-mile oval, which returns to the series schedule for the first time since 2018 with the Good Ranchers 250 on March 7. Testing will take place from 2-7 p.m. ET on February 17 and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET and 3:30-6:30 p.m. ET on February 18. Fans can attend the test on February 18, with access being free and including an autograph session.