Will Power jumps from Penske to Andretti Global to replace Cadillac F1-bound Colton Herta

The rumors about Will Power joining Andretti Global have finally come true. Only a day after Team Penske parted ways with the two-time IndyCar champion, he has signed a multi-year deal with Andretti Global to replace Colton Herta, who will jump ship from IndyCar to F1, as Cadillac's test driver for 2026.

Power ended a 17-year partnership with Penske after a troubling month of August, when the 2026 contract uncertainty stressed him and his family out. As per reports, the 44-year-old wanted a three-year contract extension, but the Roger Penske-led team wasn't on board for anything more than one year, which led the Australian driver to voluntarily exit the team and look for a "change" in 2026.

In August, Will Power's wife, Elizabeth, shared that several other teams had shown interest in signing her 2018 Indy 500-winning husband. As it turns out, Andretti Global was one of them, with the Dan Towriss-led team now having signed Power on a multi-year deal to replace Colton Herta in the No. 26 Honda.

"I'm really looking forward to meeting all the Andretti team and getting to work in 2026. They have some very smart people, and I know it will be enjoyable to get to winning. I’m also looking forward to driving for Honda. They’ve been a tough competitor, and I look forward to working with the entire HRC team," Power said in the press release.

Speaking about his new teammates, Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson, Will Power added:

"Also, I have tremendous respect for Kyle [Kirkwood] and Marcus [Ericsson]. I’ve had some great battles racing against them, and I think we’re going to make a great combination as teammates. This is a whole new chapter for me. I have to say that sometimes a change of scenery and a fresh start is very energizing. I can’t wait."

Will Power shares his feelings about Colton Herta taking a step towards his F1 dream with Cadillac

Will Power with Colton Herta at the NTT IndyCar Series Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Will Power made his feelings known about his Andretti Global predecessor, Colton Herta, joining sister team, Cadillac F1, as a test driver. The two-time IndyCar champion expressed the respect he has for the 25-year-old as a competitor, having shared many on-track battles and a couple of podiums.

"Colton is someone that I’ve been massively impressed with for a while. He has a lot of natural ability, and I think he’s going to do a great job over in Europe. I’m excited to watch him and will work to step in and do everyone on the 26 team proud," Power said.

Will Power might not have a straightforward first season with Andretti in 2026. He has only driven Chevrolet-powered cars since 2012, when Team Penske stopped using Honda engines. 2012 marked the introduction of the Dallara DW12 chassis, which is still in operation. Bottom line, the Aussie has no experience of driving Honda-powered cars in the current technical era.