The worst-kept secret of IndyCar silly season was finally revealed on Tuesday, when Chip Ganassi Racing confirmed that Scott Dixon, after spending a quarter of a century in the No. 9 car, is set to be replaced by ex-Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard.
Lundgaard was the early favorite to replace Dixon behind the wheel of the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda when the surprise announcement was made in July that Dixon would not be returning to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2027, and that speculation ramped up when Dixon's new landing spot was confirmed to be Arrow McLaren.
With Dixon and reigning Indy 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist, who spent the past three seasons with Meyer Shank Racing, both set to join Pato O'Ward at McLaren, Lundgaard, despite a career year in which he recorded two wins, five other podium finishes, and a team-leading third place finish in the championship standings, was shockingly left without a ride.
There was interest from all over the place, certainly not restricted to the IndyCar paddock, regarding the No. 9 car opportunity, but as Chip Ganassi said in a Tuesday news conference, Lundgaard became the benchmark against whom every other possibility was compared.
None measured up.
While there were occasionally some other names that were brought up during the three months from Dixon's departure confirmation to Tuesday's Lundgaard announcement, Lundgaard remained the favorite, and now he has indeed landed a dream opportunity after being totally snubbed by his former employer, a move that many still don't quite understand.
With Lundgaard now under contract at Ganassi, alongside five-time champion Alex Palou and Kyffin Simpson, on a multi-year deal, 20 of the 25 chartered cars in the 2027 IndyCar lineup have confirmed drivers. Here's an updated look at next year's team rosters.
2027 NTT IndyCar Series lineup update after Lundgaard joins Ganassi
Team | Car | Driver |
|---|---|---|
A.J. Foyt Enterprises | No. 4 Chevrolet | TBD |
A.J. Foyt Enterprises | No. 14 Chevrolet | Dennis Hauger |
Andretti Global | No. 26 Honda | Will Power |
Andretti Global | No. 27 Honda | Kyle Kirkwood |
Andretti Global | No. 28 Honda | Marcus Ericsson |
Arrow McLaren | No. 5 Chevrolet | Pato O'Ward |
Arrow McLaren | No. 6 Chevrolet | Scott Dixon |
Arrow McLaren | No. 7 Chevrolet | Felix Rosenqvist |
Chip Ganassi Racing | No. 8 Honda | Kyffin Simpson |
Chip Ganassi Racing | No. 9 Honda | Christian Lundgaard |
Chip Ganassi Racing | No. 10 Honda | Alex Palou |
Dale Coyne Racing | No. 18 Honda | TBD |
Dale Coyne Racing | No. 19 Honda | TBD |
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | No. 24 Honda | Conor Daly |
Ed Carpenter Racing | No. 20 Chevrolet | Alexander Rossi |
Ed Carpenter Racing | No. 21 Chevrolet | Christian Rasmussen |
Juncos Hollinger Racing | No. 76 Chevrolet | TBD |
Juncos Hollinger Racing | No. 77 Chevrolet | TBD |
Meyer Shank Racing | No. 60 Honda | Marcus Armstrong |
Meyer Shank Racing | No. 66 Honda | Mick Schumacher |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | No. 15 Honda | Graham Rahal |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | No. 45 Honda | Louis Foster |
Team Penske | No. 2 Chevrolet | Josef Newgarden |
Team Penske | No. 3 Chevrolet | Scott McLaughlin |
Team Penske | No. 12 Chevrolet | David Malukas |
Tuesday's announcement was not the first of the offseason, as A.J. Foyt Enterprises confirmed that ex-Dale Coyne Racing driver Dennis Hauger is set to replace Santino Ferrucci behind the wheel of the No. 14 Chevrolet. Ferrucci reportedly remains in the frame to potentially drive part-time in the team's No. 4 car after driving the No. 14 car for four years.
The Lundgaard news means there are now just three teams with a combined five vacancies in the 2027 lineup. Who will be the next driver announced for next year?
There is still plenty of time for those three teams to shore up their lineups for next year, with the 2027 season not scheduled to get underway until Sunday, March 7. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is set to kick things off on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, with live coverage set to be provided by Fox.
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