Andretti, Arlington, And a Packed IndyCar Mailbag
Four-time IndyCar champion Michael Andretti, son of American racing legend Mario Andretti, has been confirmed to be stepping down from his position as CEO of Andretti Global. Andretti Global, which has cars competing in IndyCar, FormulaE, and IMSA, is a staple in both the IndyCar and larger racing world. Michael’s surprising step down from the Andretti brass has left many pondering the real reason why the iconic long-time Andretti Racing frontman would take such action. In a heartfelt letter to the racing community following the news, Michael Andretti rationalized the decision: “I'm excited about the opportunity to spend more time with my beautiful family, including my 10-year-old twins, embrace my new Nonno title and explore new things on a personal level and with my other businesses. So, this isn't a goodbye. It is just the turning of the page.” Maybe it really is a wholesome exit for a longtime racing icon, but this didn’t stop the speculation and seemingly mysterious nature of the exit for the media and even Michael’s father, Mario. When asked about both Andretti Racing’s latest attempt at breaking into Formula One and Michael’s exit, Mario stated, “A lot of things are not exactly the way that it seems.” “I think there will be some announcements made on that, but I'm not in a position to deliver anything.” This comes after rumblings that Andretti Racing and Cadilac were finally able to secure some type of deal with F1, with the stipulation that Michael was no longer owner and CEO of the team. Michael’s seemingly abrupt exit will likely cause a difficult shakeup at Andretti Racing, but it remains to be seen how Michael’s exit directly affects Andretti’s presence in IndyCar, Formula One, or maybe both.
Andretti CEO Michael Andretti at the 2023 Formula One Miami Grand Prix
Aside from Andretti’s racing and family drama, IndyCar’s newest story is their recently announced Arlington race. The Grand Prix of Arlington will host its inaugural race weekend in March of 2026 on a circuit that runs around the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium and downtown Arlington. The uniquely shaped circuit is a street course rather than the oval that many expected and was the product of a joint Texas effort to make it happen. Roger Penske (owner of Penske and Penske IndyCar), Jerry Jones (owner of the Dallas Cowboys), and Texas Rangers brass all combined their billionaire powers to bring this event to the streets of Arlington. Despite the almost fake billionaire nature of this collaboration, this seems like an all-around win for IndyCar, investors, and fans alike. Following the announcement, Texas Rangers COO Neil Liebman stated that they are committed to “building racing’s next global spectacle” in a weekend that is an “incredible and unique event weekend for the city of Arlington, anchored by the stars of the IndyCar Series.” The Arlington Grand Prix continues IndyCar’s long-historied Texas presence with a circuit that hopes to be an exciting tradition in 2026 and beyond.
IndyCar's 2026 Arlington Grand Prix graphic Featuring Alex Palou, Josef Newgarden, and Pato O'Ward
IndyCar Mailbag:
Why did ‘nobody’ care about Alex Palou’s third IndyCar championship in four years?
‘Nobody’ cares because dominance is boring. Especially in motorsport, there are always runs of dominance where championship wins seem more normal than they should just because one driver or team wins multiple times in a short stretch. Maybe it’s the fact that this is somewhat new for IndyCar too; current drivers who are past championship winners like Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, and Will Power all had years spaced between their championship wins, so it seemed to carry less of a monotony. Who knows if Palou has another one in him for 2025? I for one wish Pato O’Ward and the Arrow Mclaren garage can find some real consistency in the flashes of brilliance we saw in 2024. Or even a continuation of Colton Herta’s comeback campaign, where he secured second in the overall 2024 standings and may continue to grow and compete in the 2025 season and beyond.
Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward Celebrates his Milwaukee Mile Win in Race 1 of the Weekend (In race 2, O'Ward was forced to retire the car due to engine failure)
Are Logan Sargeant x IndyCar rumors fun or disgraceful?
Fun. Logan Sargeant will test a Meyers Shank Racing IndyCar in November, and it will be his first chance at getting his feet wet for a possible IndyCar opportunity. First off, a test run by no means signifies any chance at a MSR seat, as their already strong duo of Felix Rosenqvist and Marcus Armstrong are set to run for 2025 and beyond. A successful IndyCar test could mean a seat in the future for any IndyCar team with a brain, though; Sargeant got his Formula One chance for a reason, and I believe his talent will only continue to grow and permeate through the racing scene once again. Still, IndyCar is not an F1 graveyard and should not be treated as such. In fact this past week, Aston Martin F1 reserve driver Felipe Drugovich had a test run with Chip Ganassi Racing and later told Motorsport.com, “I was surprised by the speed, but at the same time it was very different from what I thought it would be.” IndyCar is by no means an easy place to compete, but it can still be fun to accept and include young racers who are also linked to Formula One.
How can FOX help grow IndyCar as the new 2025 broadcast partner?
FOX should be massive in IndyCar’s continuous effort to break back into the mainstream American racing stream. FOX has done a decent job with the likes of Nascar and other motorsport events, but the real value in this deal relies on the move away from Peacock. NBC’s Peacock platform, where IndyCar weekends were found in 2024, was a massive failure in my eyes and seemed to undermine the main goal of spreading the sport. Who knows if FOX can actually help IndyCar market their worldly stars like Liberty Media did with Formula One, but the main value of this deal lies in just having an accessible place to watch the race weekends in a normal way. IndyCar continues to show incredible levels of potential in terms of viewership and fan growth. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this FOX partnership can finally put IndyCar over the proverbial hump that they have always seemed to struggle with.
