Alex Palou Faces Major Personnel Changes at Chip Ganassi Racing

Supporting Cast Turnover Shapes Chip Ganassi Racing Ahead of 2027

Curt Cavin identified supporting cast changes on Alex Palou’s No. 10 car as the most significant development of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES offseason so far.

Julian Robertson, the engineer behind all five of Palou’s championships and an organization member since 1993, has retired from Chip Ganassi Racing. Palou will also race the upcoming season without several other key personnel and will share data with Christian Lundgaard rather than Scott Dixon.

Barry Wanser remains as Palou’s strategist. Curt Cavin noted that watching how these internal adjustments coalesce for Palou will prove fascinating, adding that another title would further solidify Palou as the top driver of his generation.

Continuity at Penske and Andretti Creates Offseason Contrast

Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren are currently reshuffling both their driver rosters and engineering lineups. Meanwhile, their biggest threats for wins and championships, Team Penske and Andretti Global, are bringing back their driver trios for 2027.

Eric Smith observed that Team Penske keeps drivers David Malukas, Scott McLaughlin, and Josef Newgarden alongside status-quo pit stands. Both organizations rely on roster stability to drive performance gains.

IR-28 Chassis Testing Progresses Toward 2028 Debut

Paul Kelly reported that offseason testing for the new IR-28 chassis has run smoothly across contrasting surfaces. Alex Palou and Alexander Rossi put the car through extensive laps on the smooth Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval and the bumpy Sebring International Raceway short road course.

Development work continues through 2027 as teams prepare for the car’s competitive debut in 2028. Separate from the domestic testing schedule, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to Europe with a scheduled race in Barcelona in July 2027.

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