Samwise IndyCar Newsletter
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Palou Targets Historic Four-Straight Sonsio GP Wins as Title Lead Holds at 17 Points
Alex Palou arrives at the Sonsio Grand Prix seeking to become just the fifth driver since 1946 to win four consecutive IndyCar events at the same venue. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver claimed three straight victories at the IMS road course in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and leads the 2026 championship by 17 points over Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood after winning three of the first five rounds. Victory on Saturday would place Palou alongside A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, and Rick Mears in an exclusive group. Kirkwood, trailing by 17 points, represents the most pressing challenge to ending Chip Ganassi Racing’s streak on the Indianapolis road layout.
Sources: IndyCar.com
Arrow McLaren and Andretti Global Line Up to End Ganassi’s Four-Race IMS Road Course Streak
Arrow McLaren and Andretti Global arrive at the Sonsio Grand Prix as the teams most likely to end Chip Ganassi Racing’s four-race winning streak at the IMS road course. Pato O’Ward has finished runner-up at this circuit twice in three seasons, while teammate Christian Lundgaard rates it among his strongest venues. Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood, 17 points behind Palou in the standings, has the most to gain. Will Power, competing in his first Sonsio GP with Andretti after years at Penske, brings deep familiarity with the layout as a former regular challenger on this same circuit.
Sources: IndyCar.com
Push to Pass Fully Unlocked for Sonsio GP as IndyCar Completes Long Beach P2P Investigation
Starting with Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix, IndyCar has expanded Push to Pass availability across all road and street courses, allowing drivers to deploy the extra 60 horsepower freely once they cross the alternate start-finish line after the green flag. The change follows a software malfunction at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 19, where simultaneous CAN message signals caused an unintended P2P shutdown on a restart. INDYCAR Officiating concluded its investigation and announced the rule change alongside corrective software measures. Drivers previously faced strict P2P deployment windows during road course races, making the expanded access a significant shift in race-day tactics.
Sources: TrackSideOnline
IndyCar Eyes Late July or August Window for First Dallara IR28 Track Test
IndyCar has zeroed in on a late July or early August window for the first track test of its Dallara IR28 next-generation chassis. The tentative schedule targets the gap between the Music City Grand Prix at Nashville on July 19 and the Grand Prix of Portland on August 9. At least two IR28 tubs currently reside at Dallara USA’s facility adjacent to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Initial sessions will focus on component validation covering aerodynamics, suspension arms, and carbon composite tubs ahead of large-scale production. Current 2.2-litre twin-turbo V6 engines will power the car during these first tests, as manufacturers develop 2028-spec 2.4-litre hybrid units for later in the year.
Sources: RACER
Firestone Returns Proven Tire Compounds to IMS Road Course for Third Consecutive Season
Firestone is bringing the same tire construction to the IMS road course for the third consecutive season, providing teams with a well-understood performance baseline. The primary compound is the formulation introduced in 2025, delivering consistent and durable race stint performance. Both two sets of alternates and two sets of primaries are required per car Saturday, mandating a three-stop strategy. Firestone’s presence at the Sonsio GP also carries wider significance: 2026 marks the manufacturer’s 125th anniversary of partnership with the Indianapolis 500, a relationship tracing back to the inaugural 1911 running of the race.
Sources: TrackSideOnline
Schumacher, Hauger, and Collet Set for First IndyCar Race at IMS Road Course at Sonsio GP
Three Rookie of the Year contenders will make their first competitive appearances at the IMS road course at Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix. Mick Schumacher (No. 47 RLL Honda), Dennis Hauger (No. 19 Dale Coyne Honda), and Caio Collet have all never raced the Indianapolis road layout. Hauger leads the rookie standings, with Collet 17 points back and Schumacher a further 15 adrift. Both Hauger and Schumacher gained oval familiarity during the Indy 500 open test in April, but Saturday’s road course race will represent a new challenge on a circuit none of the three has contested competitively before.
Sources: TrackSideOnline
IMS Road Course at a Glance: 14 Turns, Clockwise, 85 Laps for Round 6
The 13th Sonsio Grand Prix takes place on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn IMS road course, which runs clockwise and incorporates a section of the famous 2.5-mile oval. Five left-hand corners and nine right-handers lead into a 2,869-foot front straight before the infield sequence. Saturday’s race covers 85 laps, totalling approximately 207 miles, accompanied by an INDY NXT by Firestone doubleheader across the two-day event. This is Round 6 of the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series championship, with the green flag at 4:47 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 9, broadcast live on FOX.
Sources: TrackSideOnline
IMS Museum Opens Updated Month of May Displays Including Lotus 56 Turbine and Firestone Anniversary Exhibit
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum has opened updated displays for the Month of May, with six cars in The Heritage Group Gasoline Alley Gallery replaced with historically significant machines. The new lineup spans 1914 to 1990 and includes a 1968 STP Oil Treatment Lotus 56 turbine and a 1983 Skoal Bandit March 83C. A dedicated Firestone exhibit celebrates the company’s 125th anniversary with the Indianapolis 500, tracing its partnership back to the inaugural 1911 race. The museum is open during the Sonsio Grand Prix weekend and throughout the Month of May ahead of the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24.
Sources: RACER
Drivers' Championship
1. Alex Palou — 205 pts
2. Kyle Kirkwood — 188 pts
3. David Malukas — 142 pts
4. Pato O’Ward — 136 pts
5. Christian Lundgaard — 131 pts
6. Josef Newgarden — 130 pts
7. Scott McLaughlin — 127 pts
8. Scott Dixon — 120 pts
9. Felix Rosenqvist — 109 pts
10. Graham Rahal — 106 pts
11. Alexander Rossi — 105 pts
12. Marcus Armstrong — 104 pts
13. Marcus Ericsson — 104 pts
14. Will Power — 89 pts
15. Rinus VeeKay — 79 pts
16. Dennis Hauger — 76 pts
17. Kyffin Simpson — 75 pts
18. Santino Ferrucci — 74 pts
19. Caio Collet — ~59 pts
20. Mick Schumacher — ~61 pts
21. Louis Foster — ~57 pts
22. Jacob Abel — ~12 pts
Teams' Championship
1. Chip Ganassi Racing — ~400 pts
2. Andretti Global — ~381 pts
3. Team Penske — ~399 pts
4. Arrow McLaren — ~267 pts
5. Meyer Shank Racing — ~213 pts
6. Rahal Letterman Lanigan — ~106 pts
7. Ed Carpenter Racing — ~105 pts
8. Juncos Hollinger Racing — ~79 pts
9. Dale Coyne Racing — ~76 pts
10. A.J. Foyt Racing — ~74 pts
*Estimated from combined driver points; after Round 5
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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