For the first time since 2021, the IndyCar championship title is no longer in question. Alex Palou secured his fifth series championship, a feat that means the focus shifts to the driver market and the final race of the 2026 NTT IndyCar season. The Mission Foods Grand Prix at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca brings fresh headlines as well, with two major signings announced and a four-way fight for second place in the final standings. Laguna Seca hosts the event.
Full-Time Return for Dreyer Reinbold Racing
Conor Daly returns to a full-time IndyCar seat with Dreyer Reinbold Racing for 2027. The team, which had not run a full schedule since 2012, announced the deal to bring back the Indiana native. Daly will drive the No. 24 entry as the organization returns to a complete calendar and re-establishes itself in the series.
The team purchased one NTT IndyCar Series charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in July to facilitate its return. Dreyer Reinbold Racing will use Honda power, an engine supplier it last utilized from 2005 through 2011. Team CEO Derek Reinbold emphasized the importance of the driver in this return to full-time status.
“Conor has raced for us at Indianapolis, so we know how he prepares, how he works with engineers, and how much he gets out of a car,” Reinbold said. “He has shown for years that he can win the Indianapolis 500, and our job is to give him a car that lets him do it.”
Daly, who also serves as an analyst for Fox broadcasts, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity. He noted that the deal allows him to reconnect with a group he considers friends. The driver, 34, of Noblesville, Indiana, has 133 IndyCar starts since his debut in 2013. His best finish was a second at the 2016 Detroit Grand Prix, and he started from the pole at the 2020 Iowa Speedway race.
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Daly made two Indianapolis 500 starts with Dreyer Reinbold this year and last, finishing 12th and 10th, respectively. He led 26 total laps in those events. The team plans to make further announcements regarding team and sponsor details in the coming weeks.
Mick Schumacher Joins Meyer Shank Racing
Meyer Shank Racing has added Mick Schumacher to its lineup for the 2027 season. He will fill the seat vacated by 2026 Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist, becoming the teammate to Marcus Armstrong. Schumacher’s first race with the team will be the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in March.
ENVE Composites will sponsor the No. 66 Honda entry that Schumacher will drive. The Utah-based firm manufactures high-performance carbon-fiber bicycle components. Mike Shank, co-owner of Meyer Shank Racing, highlighted Schumacher’s progress since entering the series.
“It is not an easy series to come into and the competition is incredibly tight,” Shank said. “But when you look at what he’s accomplished and the progress he’s made throughout the year, we see a lot of potential in him. He’s also shown tremendous pace on the ovals, which is a huge hurdle for any driver coming into IndyCar without that experience.”
Schumacher, calling Meyer Shank Racing “an ambitious team,” said, “Going to an Indy 500-winning team [Helio Castroneves gave the team its first 500 victory] is awesome. It will be great to start meeting everyone on the team and working with MSR’s partners.”
Rosenqvist, who is moving to Arrow McLaren, acknowledged the tight-knit nature of the paddock. He driver-coached Mick and Marcus back in 2015 and noted that careers often bring drivers back into contact with their former mentors.
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Rosenqvist said he is “definitely” an emotional weekend for him. He praised the Meyer Shank operation as a solid group of people who all carry their weight. Despite rumors linking him to Formula 1, Rosenqvist denied any serious interest in a move to the premier category. He lives in Indianapolis, has a family there, and stated that IndyCar is “so much more fun than anything else” to him.
“At this point in my career, I don’t really think it’s going to happen,” Rosenqvist said. “There’s no calls yet being made.”
Championship Crown and Points Battle
Palou’s fifth series championship eliminates the pressure of points racing. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver said the team can now focus on winning rather than math. Palou has dominated at Laguna Seca, where he is a three-time winner. He has never finished worse than third in five starts at the circuit.
Scott McLaughlin secured the pole position for Sunday’s race, marking the 250th IndyCar pole for Chevrolet. The broadcast will air live on FOX and FOX Deportes at 2:30 p.m. ET. Grid penalties will be issued to Caio Collet and Christian Lundgaard for unapproved engine changes following the races at Milwaukee.
Meanwhile, second-ranked Lundgaard will be trying to hold off Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global), who’s two points behind him in third place. Three-time and most recent winner Pato O’Ward lurks in fourth place, just four more points back. Team Penske’s David Malukas, with six podium results and the spectacular wrong end of an Indianapolis 500 photo finish, will be seeking his career-first IndyCar victory and a performance strong enough to vault him in the standings.
