IndyCar season kicks off with 4 races in March

Alex Palou aims for his fifth championship as new faces like Mick Schumacher join the series

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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IndyCar opens its 2026 season with a packed month of March, featuring four races including a return to Phoenix Raceway and the debuts of new venues and drivers. Defending champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing is seeking his fifth title in six years, while new faces like Mick Schumacher, son of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher, join the series.

Why it matters

IndyCar is kicking off its 2026 season with a busy March schedule, featuring new venues and drivers that could shake up the championship race. The return to Phoenix Raceway and addition of events in Arlington, Texas, and Markham, Ontario, provide fresh challenges for the drivers, while the debut of Mick Schumacher brings added star power and intrigue to the series.

The details

The IndyCar season begins on March 2 with the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, where defending champion Alex Palou will look to kick off his title defense with a victory. From there, the series heads to Phoenix Raceway on March 9, marking the first IndyCar race at the track since 2018. The following weekend, IndyCar will make its debut on the streets of Arlington, Texas, in collaboration with the Dallas Cowboys, before closing out the month at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama on March 30.

  • The 2026 IndyCar season begins on March 2 with the St. Petersburg Grand Prix.
  • IndyCar will return to Phoenix Raceway on March 9, the first race at the track since 2018.
  • The series will make its debut on the streets of Arlington, Texas, on March 16.
  • The month of March will conclude with a race at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama on March 30.

The players

Alex Palou

The defending IndyCar champion, who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing and is seeking his fifth title in six years.

Mick Schumacher

The son of seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher, who is making his debut in the IndyCar series with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Chip Ganassi Racing

The team for which Alex Palou drives, as he looks to defend his IndyCar championship.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

The team that has signed Mick Schumacher for his IndyCar debut.

Roger Penske

The owner of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, who helped secure the record four races in March for the 2026 season.

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What they’re saying

“I think 2025 was so strange, so good, so magical … it's very hard to get there. That doesn't mean that nobody can or that I cannot do it again, but you need so many things to go right to get eight wins, to win the 500, to win the championship.”

— Alex Palou (wishtv.com)

“It's really difficult to understand, like, are we missing anything? Are we good or bad? We won't know that until we actually have our first race. But the end of the first race weekend you'll start to see, as you always do, 'OK, we need to work on this, this, this and this.'”

— Will Power (wishtv.com)

“We've just got to focus on being more consistent. It's kind of simple to say that, but that's just what it will come down to. If we don't want to finish 12th in the standings, we've got to finish more races.”

— Josef Newgarden (wishtv.com)

What’s next

The IndyCar season will continue with additional races in April, May, and beyond, leading up to the Indianapolis 500 in late May and the season finale at Laguna Seca in early September.

The takeaway

The 2026 IndyCar season is shaping up to be an exciting one, with a packed March schedule, new venues, and fresh faces like Mick Schumacher joining the series. Defending champion Alex Palou will look to continue his dominant run, while established stars like Will Power and Josef Newgarden aim to bounce back. The combination of new challenges and familiar contenders should make for a thrilling year of IndyCar racing.