A.J. Foyt Enterprises, one of just two IndyCar teams to make a driver lineup announcement over the first nearly two months of the offseason between the 2026 and 2027 seasons, made a second announcement this past week.
There was speculation that, based on IndyCar's new licensing requirements, former Indy NXT driver Josh Pierson, who had long been linked to the second Foyt seat, would not be approved for an IndyCar promotion.
In fact, given the rumors linking Pierson to that seat and the timing of IndyCar's surprising new criteria, many believed that the rule was effectively put in place to prevent a driver such as Pierson from getting a ride primarily due to funding.
But a strong close to the 2026 Indy NXT season, coupled with an acceptable showing in a recent IndyCar test, cleared the way for the 20-year-old Portland, Oregon, native to move up to the top series, and Foyt's team confirmed it in late October.
4 open IndyCar seats remain for 2027
The team had already announced that Dennis Hauger is set to replace Santino Ferrucci behind the wheel of the No. 14 Chevrolet next year, ending Ferrucci's four-year run with the team. Ferrucci had discussed remaining with the team part-time, but that will not be the case with Pierson set to replace Caio Collet behind the wheel of the No. 4 Chevrolet after Collet spent just one season with the team.
The other offseason announcement is one that many had also long expected, that being the confirmation that Christian Lundgaard is set to replace Scott Dixon behind the wheel of the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda with Dixon on his way to Arrow McLaren, where Lundgaard spent the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Following these three announcements, there are just four seats left on the 25-car grid without any confirmed drivers.
It should surprise absolutely nobody that's it's already past Halloween and Dale Coyne Racing have two vacancies in two rides; it's basically an annual tradition. The question is whether the annual tradition of that remaining the case into Thanksgiving and Christmas will also come to fruition. Our money is on yes to both, and for both seats.
They've already lost Hauger, who drove the No. 19 Honda as a rookie, to Foyt, and Romain Grosjean's future with the team is up in the air after driving the No. 18 Honda in 2026. Grosjean previously drove part-time for the team in 2021, and his 2026 ride was his first full-time ride in the series since 2024.
The other team yet to confirm their lineup is Juncos Hollinger Racing, and they also have two vacancies, but it seems like a foregone conclusion that Rinus VeeKay will be back behind the wheel of the No. 76 Chevrolet after an impressive first season with the team in which he recorded four top four finishes and a career-high 10th place in the standings.
The No. 77 Chevrolet, driven by Sting Ray Robb in 2025 and 2026, will likely have a new driver in 2027. This seat is the offseason's biggest question mark, with a number of drivers having been linked to it. It is also arguably the most competitive seat left without a confirmed driver, given what VeeKay demonstrated this team is capable of in 2026.
The 2027 IndyCar season is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, March 7 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, with live coverage set to be provided by Fox.
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