St. Petersburg, Fla. — Can anyone beat Alex Palou?
The answer is yes. And as much as he dominated in winning eight races last year, there were nine races won by drivers not named Palou.
Here are some predictions for the 2026 season.
Champion
OK, still going to go with Palou for this one. At some point the streak is going to end. But considering just how much he dominated last year in leading nearly twice as many laps as his nearest competitor, it’s hard to bet against him.
Top Five in Points
This is a little bit tougher. But we’ll go with Kyle Kirkwood in second, Pato O’Ward in third, Christian Lundgaard in fourth and Felix Rosenqvist in fifth. Scott Dixon fans, please don’t hate. Kirkwood could benefit from info brought in from Will Power and Felix Rosenqvist should thrive in the second year of the Ganassi relationship.
What About Will?
I’ll put Will Power sixth in the standings. With a couple of wins. But he will still have an adjustment period with a new team.
Indianapolis 500
After I just dissed O’Ward by saying he will finish worse in the points this year, how about if I say he will win the Indianapolis 500? The heartbreak has to end sometime. And then he can take a shot at Josef Newgarden in his commercial next year.
Biggest Driver Rebound
Did someone mention Josef Newgarden? Dude will go from 12th in the 2025 standings to top 10 this year and very well could be in the top five. You don’t hold top talents down for long.
Most Improved Driver
Is there a chance that Nolan Siegel responds to some of the shade and makes a big leap from 22nd in the standings? Yes there is. Don’t discount experience and a second full season with a team.
Rookie of the Year
Dennis Hauger is with Dale Coyne Racing and some might say that will work against him in outrunning Mick Schumacher (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) and Caio Collet (A.J. Foyt Racing). But Hauger’s recent accomplishments, including the 2025 Indy NXT title, put him on top among those three drivers. Schumacher will have his moments, but Hauger potentially will have more consistency.
Best New Race
Oh, this could be the toughest of them all. Phoenix is going to be wicked fast, Arlington will be a marketing spectacle, Markham will be interesting to say the least and Washington, D.C. is going to be lit like a July 4 firecracker at the end of August.
Best New Strategist-Driver Relationship
Scott McLaughlin will have Tim Cindric calling the shots for him this year. Cindric knows how to strategize a race. McLaughlin is pumped to have him. This pairing should work well.
Indy NXT Champion
This is wide open after the top two drivers from last season are now in the top series. I like Lochie Hughes driving for Andretti and building on a solid rookie season.
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