Samwise IndyCar Newsletter
Sunday, May 3, 2026
Two-Time IndyCar Champion Alex Zanardi Dies at 59
Alex Zanardi, the two-time IndyCar Series champion who later became a four-time Paralympic gold medallist, died on Friday, May 1, at the age of 59 in Italy, with his family announcing the news on Saturday. Zanardi won championships in 1997 and 1998 driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, recording 15 victories and 28 podium finishes in a career spanning 1996 to 2001. He lost both legs in a high-speed crash at EuroSpeedway Lausitz in September 2001, before returning to competition in Paralympic handcycling and winning four gold medals. Chip Ganassi Racing said Zanardi was the definition of resilience, courage, and grace.
Sources: IndyCar.com
Alex Palou Signs Multi-Year Contract Extension With Chip Ganassi Racing
Alex Palou has signed a multi-year contract extension with Chip Ganassi Racing, securing the four-time champion and current series leader through at least the 2028 season. The deal was announced on May 1, following a dominant two-day Indy 500 Open Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway where Palou rated his car a nine-point-nine out of ten. Palou, who leads the 2026 championship by 17 points over Kyle Kirkwood with three wins from five races, had previously been linked to other teams before committing to Ganassi long-term. Will Power called his dominance incredible, while Dario Franchitti compared his run to Alex Zanardi's back-to-back title seasons in 1997 and 1998.
Sources: FOX Sports
Mick Schumacher Reveals He Has Been Racing With Fractured Left Wrist Since St. Pete
Mick Schumacher has revealed he has been racing with a fractured left wrist since the opening round in St. Petersburg, where a collision triggered by Sting Ray Robb caused a piece of bone to break off. The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver told Motorsport.com the injury causes significant pain, particularly when exiting the car, but that the relentless IndyCar schedule makes surgery impossible until the season concludes. Schumacher, who finished a career-best 17th at the Long Beach Grand Prix, said his approach has been to adapt his driving technique around the pain. The 26-year-old is expected to require an operation at the end of 2026 to fully repair the wrist.
Sources: Motorsport.com
PrizePicks Partners With Arrow McLaren for Hunter-Reay's Indianapolis 500 Entry
Arrow McLaren has confirmed fantasy sports platform PrizePicks as the primary partner for Ryan Hunter-Reay's Indianapolis 500 entry. The livery for the No. 31 PrizePicks Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, run in co-operation with Legacy Motor Club, was unveiled at the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix. Hunter-Reay, a former IndyCar champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner, returns to Indy for the first time since 2023. The No. 31 car will hit the track for the first time when Indianapolis 500 practice opens on Tuesday, May 12, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hunter-Reay's entry pushes Arrow McLaren to four cars for the 110th running of the race.
Sources: RACER
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X Revealed as Pace Car for 110th Indianapolis 500
Chevrolet has confirmed that the 2026 Corvette ZR1X will serve as the official pace car for the 110th Indianapolis 500 on May 24 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The all-wheel-drive hypercar produces 1,250 horsepower from a combination of a 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged V8 and a front-axle electric motor, and is capable of reaching 233 mph. The car carries a custom Admiral Blue and Arctic White stars-and-stripes livery. Indiana University head football coach Curt Cignetti, whose Hoosiers won the 2025 college football national championship undefeated, will serve as honorary pace car driver. It marks the 37th time Chevrolet has paced the race and the 23rd time for the Corvette.
Sources: IndyCar.com
IndyCar Finalizes Rule Restricting Non-Charter Entries to Indianapolis 500 Only After 2026
IndyCar has confirmed a governance change that will restrict non-charter entries to the Indianapolis 500 only from 2027 onwards, ending the ability of teams without permanent charters to compete in regular-season rounds. The rule, finalized on April 28, effectively bars organisations such as PREMA Racing from contesting full seasons without obtaining a charter. PREMA, which ran two cars throughout the 2025 season, has already confirmed it will not enter the 2026 Indianapolis 500 but expressed hope of an eventual IndyCar return. The change is intended to stabilize the permanent grid and give charter holders greater certainty about the field size at every round of the championship.
Sources: RACER
Caio Collet Sets Fastest Speed at Indianapolis 500 Open Test at 226.381 mph
Caio Collet set the fastest speed of the two-day Indianapolis 500 Open Test on April 29, recording a top lap of 226.381 mph in the No. 4 AJ Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet. The Brazilian rookie outpaced two-time Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden, who clocked 226.223 mph for Team Penske, and reigning champion Alex Palou, who posted the fourth-fastest time overall. All four rookies and four veteran drivers completed the required oval orientation programme during the test, clearing the full 33-car field to participate when official Indy 500 practice opens on May 12. Collet credited the AJ Foyt Enterprises setup for allowing him to get comfortable on the 2.5-mile oval quickly.
Sources: IndyCar.com
Conor Daly and Dreyer and Reinbold Racing Impress Observers at Indy 500 Open Test
Conor Daly and Dreyer and Reinbold Racing caught the attention of IndyCar insiders during the two-day Indy 500 Open Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 28 and 29. Daly's performance with the small single-car team impressed experienced observers, with the IndyCar Inside Line panel singling out the pairing as a notable positive takeaway from the pre-practice sessions. DRR has run Daly as its sole full-time entry throughout 2026 and continues to seek additional sponsorship for an expanded Indianapolis 500 programme. The Open Test marked the final oval running for all teams before Indy 500 practice begins on Tuesday, May 12.
Sources: IndyCar.com
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
Teams' Championship
1. Chip Ganassi Racing — 325 pts
2. Andretti Global — 292 pts
3. Team Penske — 272 pts
4. Arrow McLaren — 267 pts
5. Meyer Shank Racing — 213 pts
6. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing — 106 pts
7. Ed Carpenter Racing — 105 pts
8. Juncos Hollinger Racing — 79 pts
9. Dale Coyne Racing — 70 pts
10. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing — 55 pts
11. AJ Foyt Enterprises — 45 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency