"Busy" Roger Penske keeps Will Power in the dark about IndyCar contract renewal

Will Power has shared an estimated timeline by which his IndyCar contract renewal with Team Penske could be finalized. The two-time IndyCar champion is in the final year of his contract with the team, and feels that team owner Roger Penske has a lot on his plate that takes priority over his contract.

Power estimates that the negotiations could very well spill into the offseason, after it concludes with the season finale at Nashville on August 31. Speaking about the uncertainty over his future and Roger Penske's side, the 2018 Indy 500 winner told Indy Star:

"He's (Roger Penske) so busy. I think we won't know until after the season if you think about what he's got to do now. But you can't lose focus. You've got to keep digging. I love this. I love driving, man. I love this sport, and I'm very good at it. I've done it a long time, so I want to keep doing it here."

Penske recently took two big blows to his reputation. The first was the Indy 500 controversy, where Josef Newgarden and Will Power were pulled out of qualifying with illegal rear attenuators on their cars. IndyCar penalized them with a last-row start for the 109th running of the race on May 25. Roger Penske fired the senior management of Team Penske's IndyCar arm, with replacements yet to be announced.

It was the second time in 15 months that Team Penske was caught in a 'cheating' scandal. The first occurrence was its infamous push-to-pass scandal at the 2024 season opener in St. Petersburg, where race-winner Newgarden and teammate Scott McLaughlin, who finished third, were disqualified for illegal use of the push-to-pass button.

A mere few weeks after the Indy 500 scandal, Roger Penske's WEC team was disqualified from the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The No. 6 Porsche Penske 963 car failed post-qualifying technical inspection.

For Will Power, a contract renewal would be inevitable if he continues his exceptional run. He has been Team Penske's best driver so far this season and sits fifth in the standings. Teammates Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden are further back in eighth and 11th.

Will Power faces stiff competition from David Malukas for 2026 IndyCar contract with Team Penske

David Malukas at the 109th Running Of The Indianapolis 500 - Source: Getty

Will Power's biggest competitor for a contract to drive the No. 12 Team Penske car in 2026 is firming up to be David Malukas. The 23-year-old IndyCar prodigy drives for AJ Foyt Racing, which has a technical alliance with Penske.

IndyCar reporter Marshall Pruett recently reported that Malukas is already on a Penske contract, with Roger Penske choosing to field him in the No. 4 AJ Foyt Racing entry for the time being. Pruett explained how Malukas' promotion to Team Penske could be imminent in the near future, if not in 2026.

However, as Roger Penske admitted in mid-May, Will Power remains the favorite to retain the seat alongside Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin, who are already signed on multi-year deals. Moreover, David Malukas has yet to show great results, barring a P2 finish at the 2025 Indy 500.