Samwise IndyCar Newsletter
Monday, May 4, 2026
Alex Zanardi, Two-Time IndyCar Champion, Dies at 59
Alex Zanardi, two-time IndyCar champion and Paralympic cycling hero, died on the evening of May 1, 2026, at his home in Varese, Italy, surrounded by his wife Daniella and son Niccolo. He was 59. Zanardi won back-to-back IndyCar championships in 1997 and 1998 with Chip Ganassi Racing, recording 15 victories and 10 pole positions. After losing both legs in a 2001 CART crash at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz, he reinvented himself as a Paralympic champion, winning four gold medals in handcycling across the 2012 and 2016 Games in London and Rio. A 2020 road collision during a handcycling event in Tuscany caused severe neurological injuries from which he never recovered.
Sources: RACER
Racing World Unites in Tribute to Alex Zanardi
The motorsport world responded with an outpouring of tributes following Alex Zanardi’s death on May 1, 2026. Chip Ganassi expressed profound grief, noting the racing community and world had lost one of its most extraordinary human beings. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali honoured Zanardi as an inspirational figure who faced extraordinary adversity with remarkable courage. Drivers from NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula 1 shared personal messages, while IndyCar and IMS President J. Douglas Boles praised his legacy of courage and determination that transcended motorsport. A minute of silence was observed at the Miami Formula 1 Sprint in his honour over the weekend.
Sources: Frontstretch
Palou Leads Championship by 17 Points Entering Month of May
Alex Palou enters the Month of May as the NTT IndyCar Series championship leader, holding a 17-point advantage over Kyle Kirkwood after three wins in the first five races of 2026. The defending champion secured victory at Long Beach on April 19, holding off Felix Rosenqvist by nearly four seconds following decisive pit work from Chip Ganassi Racing. Kirkwood sits second with 188 points; David Malukas leads Team Penske in third with 142 points, and Pato O’Ward is fourth at 136. Palou has triumphed at St. Petersburg, Barber and Long Beach, commanding the standings with a strong head start on Indianapolis 500 month.
Sources: IndyCar.com
Newgarden Enters Month of May with Oval Speed and Indy 500 Ambition
Two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden enters the Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway carrying strong momentum after winning the Phoenix Raceway oval in March. Newgarden finished second at the Indianapolis 500 Open Test on April 28–29, posting a best tow-assisted lap of 226.223 mph in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet. Sitting sixth in the drivers’ championship with 130 points, 75 adrift of leader Alex Palou, the Tennessee native sees May as his best opportunity to close the gap. Newgarden won back-to-back Indianapolis 500s in 2023 and 2024 and would become only the 11th driver to record three or more victories on May 24.
Sources: IndyCar.com
33 Cars, 4,697 Incident-Free Laps: Indianapolis 500 Open Test Wraps Cleanly
All 33 registered Indianapolis 500 cars and drivers completed the two-day open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 28–29, combining for 4,697 incident-free laps covering 11,742.5 miles. All four full-season rookies — Caio Collet, Dennis Hauger, Nolan Siegel and Robert Shwartzman — completed their required IndyCar orientation laps on Day 1 alongside veterans making their first Indy 500 appearances. Non-tow speed honours went to Jack Harvey of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, who posted a 221.112 mph lap across both test days. All 33 drivers are cleared to participate when Indianapolis 500 practice officially opens on Tuesday, May 12.
Sources: Trackside Online
Team Penske Posts Strong Numbers at Indianapolis 500 Open Test
Team Penske showed strong pace at the Indianapolis 500 Open Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 28–29, with Josef Newgarden finishing second overall on a tow-assisted best of 226.223 mph in the No. 2 Chevrolet and leading the Day 2 afternoon session at 225.617 mph. The test marked the first major oval running for Team Penske’s revamped 2026 lineup, which sees David Malukas in the third car following Will Power’s departure to Andretti Global after 15 Penske seasons. All three Penske entries — Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin and Malukas — completed the two-day test without incident at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Sources: Trackside Online
1,250-HP Corvette ZR1X Named Pace Car for 110th Indianapolis 500
The 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X has been named the pace car for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Producing 1,250 horsepower from a combination of a 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged V8 and a front-axle electric motor, the ZR1X can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in under two seconds and reach 233 mph, approaching the top speeds of race cars in the field. The car features a custom dual-tone finish, Arctic White on one side and Admiral Blue on the other. Indiana University football coach Curt Cignetti will serve as honorary pace car driver on May 24, honouring IU’s undefeated national championship season.
Sources: Motorsport Week
Drivers’ Championship
After Round 5 — Long Beach
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. Louis Foster — 74 pts
20. Romain Grosjean — —
21. Caio Collet — —
22. Christian Rasmussen — —
23. Nolan Siegel — —
24. Callum Ilott — —
25. Robert Shwartzman — —
26. Mick Schumacher — —
27. Sting Ray Robb — —
Teams’ Championship
After Round 5 — Long Beach
1. Chip Ganassi Racing — 400 pts
2. Team Penske — 399 pts
3. Andretti Global — 381 pts
4. Arrow McLaren — 267 pts
5. Meyer Shank Racing — 213 pts
6. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing — 180 pts
7. Ed Carpenter Racing — 105 pts
8. Juncos Hollinger Racing — 79 pts
9. Dale Coyne Racing w/ HMD — —
10. AJ Foyt Racing — —
11. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing — —
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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