IndyCar
Ganassi’s Felix Rosenqvist Racing For IndyCar Rookie-Of-The-Year Title
MONTEREY, CA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist is looking to win the NTT IndyCar Series Rookie-Of-The-Year title at this weekend’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Rosenqvist, 27, leads Dale Coyne Racing’s Santino Ferrucci by 26-points and Harding Steinbrenner Racing’s Colton Herta by 49-points in the rookie standing going into this weekend.
“It’s cool that there is a battle going on between Santino, Colton and I for Laguna,” said Rosenqvist. “I think Colton and I have had similar years where it took off a bit too fast, and then the reality of IndyCar struck us, and a change of approach was needed. I have definitely calmed down during the year, trying to take what’s there every weekend instead of forcing myself into errors trying to go for the top spot at any cost.”
Rosenqvist has earned the top spot in the rookie standings by virtue of nine top-10 finishes, which include five top-5 finishes. Rosenqvist currently sits eighth in the overall Championship standings.
“The speed has been there from the start, but it’s just so much more needed to take the points every weekend,” said Rosenqvist. “Speed alone will not give you success in this championship. Having raced all over the planet, I would say that IndyCar is the toughest beast yet to master for me.”
Rosenqvist is looking forward to racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The Swede’s best performances this season have been on the permanent road courses. Rosenqvist has reeled off five consecutive top-10 finishes on the road courses including two runner-up finishes at Portland and Mid-Ohio.
“I’ve been on quite a streak on the road courses lately and I feel hungry for that first win and Laguna would be just the right place to get it done,” said Rosenqvist.
Rosenqvist is looking to become the first rookie of the year for CGR since Juan Pablo Montoya won the award in 1999, and fourth overall. Alex Zanardi (1996) and Eddie Cheever (1990) were the other winners for CGR.
“Being with Chip Ganassi Racing for my rookie season has been more helpful than anything,” said Rosenqvist. “The team has given me access to everything in order to become ready to win races. I think the field is so tight these days that literally anyone can be fast, but what CGR does differently is getting all the details right, and that’s why they normally come out on top.”
Track action gets underway on Thursday with a full-day test session from 12:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. There will be two 45-minute practice sessions on Friday: 1:30 p.m. ET and 5:10 p.m. ET, a practice on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. ET and Firestone Fast Six Qualifying at 4:30 p.m.
Sunday’s 90-lap, 203.22-mile race will be televised live on NBC beginning with a pre-race show at 2:30 p.m. ET and the green flag waving at 3:15 p.m. The race can be heard on the Advance Auto Parts IndyCar Radio Network and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM 205, Sirius 98).
LONG BEACH, CA (April 19, 2026) – A great pit stop helped Alex Palou pass Felix Rosenqvist in the pits and Palou did the rest, winning Sunday’s NTT IndyCar Series Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
“Incredible,” said Palou, who picked up his third win of the season and 22nd of his IndyCar career. “Feel so, so lucky with the opportunity I had to win the 500 last year, the Long Beach GP this year, it just feels like I’m living on this amazing cloud of happiness.”
Rosenqvist was out front when the caution flag flew on Lap 57 for debris in turn four, which set up the showdown between the Meyer Shank Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing pit crews.
“This full-course yellow put everything on that pit stop,” said Palou. “The guys did an incredible job once again.”
“Having the pit location and the pit crew we have, it certainly was on the top of our minds coming down pit lane knowing we have a shot at getting the win here,” said Barry Wanser, No. 10 Team Manager. “Again, the guys came through.”
“That last pit cycle was kind of the defining moment,” said Rosenqvist, who led a race-high 51-laps. “I don’t even think we had that bad of a stop. We had to come around the 14. I don’t know if Alex had an open in. Details like that matter. It didn’t seem like a super slow stop, but he probably nailed it or his crew.”
Despite falling short of a win, Rosenqvist said there were plenty of positives to take away from the team’s trip to the West Coast.
“I think all in all we got to be happy as a weekend for us at Meyer Shank Racing. We had a win yesterday with Nick in IMSA. We had a pole there as well, then a pole here and a P2. We just fell short of a grand slam.”
Scott Dixon finished third in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda, giving team owner Chip Ganassi two cars on the podium and the 6-time series Champion his best finish of the season
“Huge weekend for the Ganassi cars,” said Dixon. “I think probably one of the best for qualifying between all us, which was really good. It was nice just to have a clean weekend, no major issues, no damage, no mess-ups or anything like that. That was a lot of fun.”
Palou and Dixon’s teammate Kyffin Simpson brought the No. 8 Sunoco Honda home in tenth place, so all three CGR cars finished in the Top 10.
Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood finished fourth after starting third and gave up the Championship lead to Palou. Kirkwood now trails the four-time Series Champion by 17-points.
Pato O’Ward rounded out the Top 5 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.
Next up for the IndyCar Series is two days of testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 28-29 as teams get ready for the Indianapolis 500.
The next race is the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 9, on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at IMS, which kicks off the Month of May.
LONG BEACH, CA (April 18,, 2026) – Felix Rosenqvist is on the pole position for Sunday’s NTT IndyCar Series Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach after turning a fast lap of of 1 minute, 7.4635 seconds in the No. 60 SiriusXM/Acura Honda.
The pole capped a great day for Meyer Shank Racing who on the IMSA race on Saturday.
“So great to put it on pole here and it’s been a long time, so it feels good,” said Rosenqvist. “But what a day for Meyer Shank Racing with the win in the IMSA race today and now the pole for the IndyCar race.”
Pato O’Ward, Rosenqvist’s good friend and former teammate, will start from the front row after qualifying a season-best second at 1:07.5076 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.
“That was nerve-wracking to watch my ole buddy Pato do his run, and I wasn’t sure if we’d get it,” said Rosenqvist. “But the SiriusXM Green Day Acura has been great and hope we can have a good day tomorrow.”
“This is by far the best qualifying day I’ve had,” said O’Ward. “I’ve been happy with the car I’ve been given from practice one. Hats off to Arrow McLaren and Team Chevy. I know we’re leading their pack.”
Four-time Series Champion Alex Palou will start from the third position in the No. 10 OpenAI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda with 2026 Championship points leader Kyle Kirkwood right beside in the No. 27 JM Bullion/Gold.com Andretti Global Honda.
David Malukas will start fifth in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet, the best qualifying car for Team Penske.
Six-time Series Champion Scott Dixon will start sixth in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. The qualifying effort was Dixon’s best of 2026.
Next up is a 30-minute warmup Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX One, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).
The 90-lap race around the 11-turn, 1.968-mile iconic temporary street circuit starts at 5:30 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX One, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).
LONG BEACH, CA (April 18, 2026) Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood is picking up right where he left off at Long Beach. The 2025 winner of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach was quickest in the second NTT IndyCar Series practice session at the iconic street circuit.
Kirkwood’s fast lap of 1-minute, 7.5417-seconds was 0.2333-seconds quicker than Team Penske’s David Malukas.
Saturday’s practice session was sort of similar to Friday’s session as Andretti Global and Team Penske were 1-2 on the timing chart, except Friday’s session was led by Will Power, who beat out Scott McLaughlin for the top spot.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou was fourth quickest on both days in the No. 10 OpenAI Honda.
Knockout style qualifying takes place at 6:30 p.m. ET with the Firestone Fast Six shifting to single car attempts.
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