The second half of the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season was loaded with driver lineup announcements for the 2027 season, with five cars already confirmed to have different drivers next year and one more guaranteed to have a different driver due to a previously announced departure.
But with only 13 additional drivers having been announced as returning to their 2026 entries in 2027, there are still quite a few seats open on next year's 25-car grid.
Let's take a look at the teams that still have open seats to fill as the roughly six-month offseason gets underway.
7 seats still open at 4 IndyCar teams for 2027
A.J. Foyt Enterprises have not confirmed drivers for the No. 4 Chevrolet or the No. 14 Chevrolet after rookie Caio Collet and Santino Ferrucci, respectively, spent the 2026 season in those cars. Ferrucci is expected to be back, but Collet looks to be on his way to being replaced by an Indy NXT driver.
Josh Pierson has been the name most heavily linked to that seat, although it remains to be seen if that will come to fruition amid the introduction of IndyCar's new driver licensing criteria.
Dale Coyne Racing have not confirmed drivers for the No. 18 Honda or the No. 19 Honda after Romain Grosjean and rookie Dennis Hauger, respectively, spent the 2026 season in those entries. Grosjean is said to be welcome to return if he so chooses, while Hauger's future is up in the air amid the team's recent ties to Indy NXT champion Nikita Johnson.
While Juncos Hollinger Racing have not confirmed drivers for their No. 76 Chevrolet or No. 77 Chevrolet, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Rinus VeeKay is set to return to the former while Sting Ray Robb will be replaced, likely by another driver who brings a sizable budget, in the latter.
The only other team with a vacancy is Chip Ganassi Racing, and that vacancy exists thanks to Scott Dixon leaving after 25 years to join Arrow McLaren.
Christian Lundgaard is widely believed to be on his way to replacing Dixon behind the wheel of the No. 9 Honda after McLaren made the shocking decision to move on from him after just two years, despite his team-leading third place finish in this year's championship, which saw him win twice and score five additional podium results.
13 IndyCar drivers staying put for 2027, amid other lineup changes
As for the 13 drivers staying put, they include the entire Andretti Global team of Will Power, Kyle Kirkwood, and Marcus Ericsson; the entire Ed Carpenter Racing team of Alexander Rossi and Christian Rasmussen; and the entire Team Penske team of Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin, and David Malukas.
Five-time and four-time reigning champion Alex Palou is set to return to Chip Ganassi Racing, as is Kyffin Simpson, while both Graham Rahal and Louis Foster are set to be back with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing after the team's downsize and charter sale to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, which have hired Conor Daly to be their first full-time driver since 2012. The other driver set to stay totally put is Pato O'Ward at Arrow McLaren.
A full rundown of drivers on the move was published earlier this week. Four drivers have found new full-time homes, while one has simply switched cars within his own team thanks to additional team switches throughout the paddock.
The 2027 NTT IndyCar Series season is scheduled to begin on Sunday, March 7, with live coverage of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg set to be provided by Fox from the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.
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