American racing driver Will Power officially terminated by Roger Penske following an emotional goodbye at the IndyCar season finale in Australia
Will Power Bids Farewell to Team Penske after 17 Seasons
After a remarkable 17-year career with Team Penske, Australian racing legend Will Power has announced that he will not be returning for an 18th season. The news came two days after the season finale, nearly a year after speculation began about Power's non-renewal.
Power, a two-time IndyCar champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, has been a cornerstone of Team Penske's success. He has won 42 races, including the Indy 500, and became IndyCar's all-time pole-winner with 71 wins. Currently, he ranks fourth on the all-time IndyCar wins list with 45 victories, having passed IndyCar great Mario Andretti as the greatest qualifier in the series' history.
Over the years, Power has been consistently impressive, winning at least one race every season except 2023, a year marked by personal tragedy when his wife nearly died from a staph infection. Despite this setback, Power's determination and resilience shone through, as he returned to the track and continued to deliver exceptional performances.
This season, Power was the most consistent of the Penske drivers and won the first race of the season at Portland. He also led at Nashville and was positioned for the win until a mistake in the pits took him out of contention.
Scott McLaughlin, a Supercars great, paid tribute to Power after the Penske announcement. McLaughlin, who worked closely with Power, wrote that he enjoyed learning from Power and cherished the time they spent working together, also calling Power a friend.
The departure of Power leaves a significant void at Team Penske. The new driver replacing him has not been officially announced, but there are persistent rumours that David Malukas, a 23-year-old who raced for AJ Foyt in the 2025 IndyCar season, is being considered as Power's successor.
Meanwhile, Dan Towriss, the new owner of Andretti Global and the Cadillac F1 team, could use a veteran like Power as he attempts to bring the IndyCar program back to the top of the series. If Colton Herta were to leave IndyCar for the Formula 1 feeder system (F2), a seat at Andretti Global could potentially open up for Power.
The decision for Power to leave Team Penske was not an easy one. After much consideration, Power decided that a change was the right move for him at this time. Prominent F1 identity and IndyCar commentator Will Buxton has called out the Penske decision to spin Power's departure as his choice.
As Power turns 45 at the start of the next season, he looks forward to new challenges and opportunities in his racing career. Fans and racing enthusiasts alike will eagerly await to see where his journey takes him next.
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