The 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season concluded less than two weeks ago, and with still much to be confirmed regarding the 2027 driver lineup.
In total, there were seven seats still up for grabs, including six across three teams that had yet to confirm anything whatsoever for next year. Now the first of those three teams has made an announcement, and it's not one that many saw coming.
Dennis Hauger, who spent his rookie season competing for Dale Coyne Racing through a technical alliance with Andretti Global, is set to replace Santino Ferrucci behind the wheel of the No. 14 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet next year.
Santino Ferrucci out at Foyt for 2027
Hauger, the 2021 Formula 3 champion, finished 22nd in the 2026 IndyCar championship standings with two top 10 finishes, including a career-high finish of eighth at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
Hauger had been linked to Andretti Global as Marcus Ericsson's replacement, but a strong season from Ericsson led to a contract extension, which accompanied the news that Hauger would no longer be contractually tied to Andretti Global after the 2026 season.
Ferrucci had been with A.J. Foyt Enterprises since 2023, after having not competed full-time in the series since 2020. He finished in a career-high third place in the Indy 500 in his first year with Foyt, but his career year came in 2024, when he finished ninth in the standings with 11 top 10 finishes in 17 races.
He went on a hot streak during the 2025 season, recording four consecutive top five finishes, including a career-high finish of second place finish on the streets of Detroit and his third career podium finish at Road America, but has not finished higher than eighth since. He finished the 2026 season 17th in points.
The confirmation leaves one confirmed vacancy at Dale Coyne Racing, one of two remaining teams yet to make any driver announcements for 2027, and it leaves A.J. Foyt Enterprises with just one seat to fill.
Indy NXT driver Josh Pierson has been rumored to take that seat after Caio Collet spent his rookie season in the No. 4 Chevrolet, although it remains to be seen if that will come to fruition amid the sport's new licensing standards.
Hauger's Coyne seat has been linked to Indy NXT champion Nikita Johnson. Romain Grosjean, who spent the 2026 season with the team, is said to be welcome back if he chooses to return.
Other teams with vacancies include Juncos Hollinger Racing (both seats) and Chip Ganassi Racing (Scott Dixon's seat). Rinus VeeKay is expected to return to the former, while Christian Lundgaard, whom Dixon is set to replace at Arrow McLaren, is expected to land with the latter.
The 2027 season is scheduled to begin on Sunday, March 7 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. Fox is set to provide live coverage of every race on the schedule, although the full schedule has not yet been solidified.
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