Long Beach Grand Prix: Latest IndyCar and IMSA Updates

Kyle Kirkwood and Alex Palou have acknowledged that their battle for the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series championship is shaping up as a season-long duel, with both drivers emphasizing the tight competition and mutual respect following recent events at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

The comments came after a eventful weekend at the Long Beach street circuit, where Kirkwood secured a strong result in the IndyCar Series race while Palou faced challenges that allowed Josef Newgarden to claim victory. Despite the outcome, both title contenders stressed that the fight for the championship remains wide open with many races still to come.

Kirkwood, driving for Andretti Global, spoke about finding his rhythm during a turbulent race that included multiple restarts and on-track incidents. He noted that while the race did not go exactly as planned, his team made key adjustments that allowed him to stay competitive and finish in a position that kept him within striking distance of the points lead.

“We had to adapt quickly out there,” Kirkwood said. “The track was changing lap by lap, and there were moments where we lost ground, but the car came back strong in the second half. It’s not about one race — it’s about staying consistent over the whole season.”

Palou, the defending series champion driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, echoed the sentiment that the title race is far from decided. Although he did not win in Long Beach, Palou pointed to his consistency over the opening rounds and expressed confidence in his team’s ability to rebound.

“Every race brings different challenges,” Palou said. “Long Beach is always tough with its bumps and tight corners, and we didn’t have the pace we needed today. But we know what we’re capable of, and we’ll keep pushing. The championship isn’t won in April.”

The Long Beach Grand Prix served as the fourth round of the 2026 IndyCar Series season and featured a mix of on-track action and off-track entertainment, including a concert by rapper Lupe Fiasco following Friday’s practice sessions. On the track, Josef Newgarden capitalized on late-race incidents to take the checkered flag, moving to the top of the championship standings.

Newgarden’s victory came after a race marked by several full-course cautions and a dramatic finish under green-white-checker conditions. The Team Penske driver passed Kirkwood on the final restart to take the lead and held off a late challenge from Scott McLaughlin to win by less than half a second.

In the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship support race, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach continued as part of the 2026 season, with teams using the event as a key preparation round ahead of the upcoming endurance races. While the IndyCar race drew the main focus, the IMSA event contributed to a full weekend of motorsport activity on the downtown Long Beach street circuit.

Looking ahead, the IndyCar Series will head to Barber Motorsports Park for the fifth round of the season, where both Kirkwood and Palou will aim to regain momentum. With the championship battle expected to remain tight throughout the year, teams are focusing on reliability, strategy, and adapting to a variety of track types as the season progresses.