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| Pato O'Ward leads teammate Christian Lundgaard and eventual 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Champion Alex Palou through Turn 1 at The Thermal Club in the season's second race of the first full season utilizing a hybrid power formula. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2025) |
IndyCar’s 2026 Hybrid Season: Western Focus And The Push For A 20-Race Calendar
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES has unveiled its 2026 schedule, marking the second full
season of its hybrid power era, blending electric and combustion engines in a
formula that has intensified competition since its 2024 Mid-Season
introduction. The 17-race calendar, spanning from St. Petersburg’s streets to
Laguna Seca’s finale, mixes ovals, road courses, and street circuits. While
the schedule highlights a Western focus, with key races in Phoenix (oval),
Long Beach (temporary street circuit), and Laguna Seca (established road
course), it sidesteps ambitions for Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
and the talk of reigniting the Gold Coast of Australia, leaving international
expansion on hold for another year.
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| 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Schedule: Following a 2025 season with 27% viewership growth on FOX Sports, averaging 1.36M viewers and crowned by Álex Palou’s historic three-peat, IndyCar’s 17-race 2026 calendar promises dynamic racing. “Our growth is industry-leading and will accelerate with FOX Sports and new venues,” said Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles. “We can’t wait for 2026.” Graphic Credit: Penske Entertainment (2025) |
The Western region gains prominence with three pivotal races. Phoenix Raceway opens the Western swing on March 7, a Saturday slot to avoid clashing with NASCAR, where the hybrid-powered Dallara chassis will tackle the one-mile oval. On April 19, Long Beach’s street circuit follows, its tight corners and waterfront straight leveraging the hybrid system’s energy recovery for strategic overtakes. The season concludes on September 6 at Laguna Seca, a track restored as the championship-deciding venue, signaling INDYCAR’s intent to reconnect with West Coast fans and capitalize on the region’s racing prominence and heritage.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca’s return as the season finale replaces
Nashville Superspeedway. This shift prioritizes the 2.238-mile road course’s
challenging layout over Nashville's urban street spectacle once-removed, from
a temporary street course to 2024's change to the oval course, located roughly
40 miles East outside of the city.
The WeatherTech Raceway's elevation changes and iconic Corkscrew will test
drivers like Álex Palou, the defending - and now 4-time / with a 3-peat -
champion, as they navigate the hybrid system’s regenerative capabilities. This
Western trio - Phoenix, Long Beach, and Laguna Seca - aims to draw crowds and
boost INDYCAR’s visibility in a key market, reinforcing the series’ commitment
to its coastal fanbase after two years of absence from Monterey.
Despite the schedule’s strengths, 17 races feel insufficient compared to other motorsport series. NASCAR’s Cup Series runs 36 races, Formula 1 schedules 24, and IMSA exceeds a dozen. INDYCAR’s calendar, though varied with additions like Arlington’s street circuit (March 13-15), Toronto GP venue change about 20 miles North to the Streets of Markham, Ontario, Canada (August 14-16) and Milwaukee’s doubleheader (August 28-30), lacks the depth to match its rivals’ intensity. The hybrid formula, with its complex battery management and push-to-pass tactics, calls for a broader stage to showcase driver skill and team strategy, ensuring the series remains competitive in a crowded motorsport landscape.
To reach elite status, we at Motorsports Journal believe INDYCAR should expand
to 20 races, adding depth without exhausting teams. Reinstating Iowa
Speedway’s short oval in the summer could highlight the hybrid system’s
efficiency, fitting neatly without overlapping local events like the Iowa
State Fair. A return to The Thermal Club’s 3.67-mile road course in March
would tighten the early-season schedule, offering a California-based test of
speed and strategy. These additions, possibly replacing less distinctive
ovals, would create a more robust championship while maintaining balance.
Expanding to 20 races would benefit teams, broadcasters, and fans. Engineers
would gain more data to refine hybrid setups, FOX Sports’ coverage through
2030 would have more content, and fans would have more opportunities to
engage, potentially growing the series’ audience. The Western focus already
sets the stage, with Phoenix and Long Beach drawing diverse viewers early on
in the season. Additional races, perhaps in the Midwest or Pacific
Northwest/West Coast of Canada in addition to Portland, Oregon, could further
diversify the schedule, creating a championship that tests endurance and skill
across varied landscapes.
As INDYCAR prepares for 2026, its hybrid era holds immense potential. The
Western emphasis, anchored by Phoenix, Long Beach, and Laguna Seca, is a
strategic move, but a 20-race schedule would elevate the series to new
heights. More races mean more chances for drivers to shine, fans to rally, and
legacies to form. INDYCAR’s hybrid engine is ready - now it just needs many
more roads of competition to prove its change in formula worth.
... notes from
The EDJE
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