Will Power Leads Mid-Ohio Practice in 1:05.5540 as Andretti Global Goes 1-2

Q: With Scott Dixon departing Ganassi, who will secure INDYCAR's most coveted open seat for 2027?

Christian Lundgaard is the leading candidate to take Scott Dixon’s Chip Ganassi Racing seat in 2027. The opening is now the biggest vacancy in INDYCAR after Dixon confirmed he will leave Ganassi after 25 seasons and is expected to join Arrow McLaren. That reshuffle matters because Felix Rosenqvist is also expected at McLaren, leaving Lundgaard vulnerable despite a strong season. He is unsigned for 2027 and widely viewed in the paddock as the most logical fit for Ganassi’s No. 9 Honda. The case for Lundgaard is performance-based. He has been one of the series’ strongest road and street course drivers, has already won with McLaren this season, and sits near the front of the championship fight. For Ganassi, replacing a six-time champion with a proven front-runner in his prime would be the cleanest competitive move. Marcus Armstrong had been mentioned as a possible option, but his new multiyear extension with Meyer Shank Racing, where he is set to move into the No. 60 car in 2027, effectively removes him from contention. There are still outside possibilities. Dennis Hauger, the 2025 Indy NXT champion now at Dale Coyne Racing, fits Ganassi’s history of backing high-upside young talent. Some observers also believe Chip Ganassi could again surprise the market with a driver from outside the current full-time INDYCAR grid. But based on the available reporting and current contract picture, Lundgaard is the clear favorite for INDYCAR’s most coveted open seat.

3 articles · Updated · INDYCAR · Jul 4

Will Power set the fastest Day 1 lap at Mid-Ohio in 1:05.5540, edging Andretti Global teammate Kyle Kirkwood’s 1:05.6674 as teams opened preparations for Sunday’s 90-lap Honda Indy 200.
95-degree heat shaped the opening session and is expected to persist through Saturday qualifying, adding strain at the 13-turn road course where Power will chase his first pole of the season and 72nd career pole.
Alex Palou was third at 1:05.7557, followed by Christian Lundgaard and Pato O’Ward; Palou still carries a 60-point championship lead over David Malukas, who was 10th in practice.
Marcus Armstrong’s newly announced multiyear future with Meyer Shank Racing was overshadowed by a rear-end mechanical issue that sent him into the Turn 2 barrier, leaving him 24th; Romain Grosjean also crashed late at Turn 9.