CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)– Will Power, the practiced company man who won two IndyCar titles and the Indianapolis 500 for Roger Penske, will certainly not go back to Group Penske for an 18 th season.
The long-expected news was finally made Tuesday, two days after the season finale, and virtually a year after conjecture started that Power would certainly not be renewed when his contract expired as the group considered a younger chauffeur. Power transforms 45 at the start of following period.
“As we took a seat to speak about our future together, Will felt that it was time for him to make a modification start with next season,” Penske claimed in a declaration. “He has actually been a superior chauffeur and teammate for our organization. His outcomes promote themselves, and we desire him the best in the following phase of his job.”
As the period dragged out without any activity from Penske, Power’s separation came to be increasingly more evident. He turned up at the season-opener in March– on his birthday weekend break– encountering inquiries concerning the possibility of 23 -year-old David Malukas replacing him at the end of the year. The supposition was never silenced by Group Penske, however Malukas was not validated as Power’s replacement Tuesday.
After Sunday’s period finale at Nashville Superspeedway, Power was both reflective and grateful for the time he ‘d contended Penske, where he won 42 races, 2 champions, the Indy 500 and became IndyCar’s all-time pole-winner with 71
“It’s been the honor of my life to drive for Roger and the Penske company,” Power said. “We have actually achieved so much together, and I will certainly always be thankful for my time with the group and my colleagues that have actually sustained me in the process. After much consideration, I felt like an adjustment for me was the appropriate relocation at this time.”
Power, with 45 job triumphes, rates 4th on the all-time IndyCar wins checklist behind A.J. Foyt (67, Scott Dixon (59 and Mario Andretti (52 He passed Andretti as the greatest qualifier in series history.
This period, he showed to be the best of the triad of Penske drivers– he was most consistent, his win at Rose city was the first of the season for Penske– and he’s shown despite his age he’s still among the most affordable on the grid. Power was leading at Nashville and had placed himself for the win until an error in the pits took him out of contention.
He informed his designer on pit lane after the race he wasn’t returning in 2026 in a discussion that had both designer David Faustino and Power’s wife, Liz, in rips. Power has won at least one race every period except 2023– the year his partner virtually passed away from a staph infection.
It’s unclear where Power will go, however the softest landing place on the grid would certainly be if Colton Herta leaves IndyCar for F 2, the Solution 1 feeder system, in an initiative to accomplish the incredibly certificate Herta needs to contend for the new Cadillac group in the international series.
That would certainly open up a seat at Andretti Global and brand-new proprietor Dan Towriss, who also has the Cadillac F 1 group, a NASCAR group, and multiple various other companies in various motorsports collection, might make use of a veteran like Power as he attempts to bring the IndyCar program back to the top of the collection.