The Team Penske 2026 IndyCar driver search has gained renewed urgency after recent offseason moves, leaving the No. 12 car without a confirmed driver for the upcoming NTT IndyCar Series season. With David Malukas widely thought to be the favorite, questions linger over whether the North Carolina-based team will explore alternative options as the stakes rise for one of open-wheel racing’s most coveted seats.
David Malukas: The Expected Choice Faces Scrutiny
Common wisdom suggests that David Malukas will step into the vacancy. Now with A.J. Foyt Racing—who maintains technical ties to Team Penske—Malukas turns 24 this month, seemingly fitting the bill as a youthful successor to the team’s most successful IndyCar champion. However, concerns persist regarding Malukas’ results. Beyond a second-place finish at the Indianapolis 500, aided by a disqualification ruling, and a fourth-place at Iowa Speedway’s second race, his record offers little in top-five placings while driving a car supplied by Penske.
The Chicago native’s past performances prompt some to question whether Penske is making a gamble, given Malukas’ reputation as IndyCar’s “meme lord.” Notably, several strong qualifying efforts for Malukas eventually translated to more modest results by race end. For a team intent on maintaining its winning pedigree, the risks may seem to match the rewards in their calculations.
Rinus VeeKay’s Up-and-Down Campaign Raises His Profile
Despite being a long shot, another contender has surfaced: Rinus VeeKay. Though he finished 14th compared to Malukas’ 11th in the 2025 points standings, a closer look at VeeKay’s season offers fresh perspective on his potential fit at Team Penske.
Challenging Conditions at Dale Coyne Racing in 2024
Dale Coyne Racing encountered a tumultuous 2024, defined by ongoing technical issues and a revolving door of drivers, leaving their program without real consistency. Nevertheless, the team secured Jacob Abel and Rinus VeeKay for 2025, and VeeKay quickly showed promise by finishing ninth—and posting the second fastest lap—in the first race at St. Petersburg, just shy of pace-setter Josef Newgarden.
That early momentum escalated at Barber Motorsports Park, where the Dutch driver qualified fifth and achieved a fourth-place finish, securing Dale Coyne’s first road or street course top-five since Romain Grosjean raced at Laguna Seca in 2021. VeeKay’s upward trend continued at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, as he gained fifteen places to finish ninth after starting in 24th.
Although mechanical setbacks led to a pair of 27th-place results at Indianapolis and Detroit, VeeKay showcased resilience with a sequence of three straight top-ten finishes—at Gateway, Road America, and Mid-Ohio—despite starting each race from 18th or worse. At Mid-Ohio, he was recognized for advancing furthest through the field.
The latter part of the campaign posed continued challenges, but VeeKay highlighted his ability to capitalize on strategic opportunities at Toronto, where he secured a second-place finish and led 16 laps, aided by a timely call from Dale Coyne’s strategy team.
“An unreal turn of events on this restart with 2️⃣ to go! Watch NOW on ABC!📺#FirestoneGP | #INDYCAR📺 @ABCNetwork📲 WatchESPN pic.twitter.com/vtsAqduA7D” —NTT INDYCAR SERIES
VeeKay’s Opportunism Sets Him Apart
VeeKay accomplished noteworthy results despite limited resources at Dale Coyne Racing, whose capabilities were dwarfed even by Ed Carpenter Racing when Josef Newgarden finished fourth in points before joining Team Penske. Recent history emphasizes the challenge: before 2025, Dale Coyne Racing had not earned a podium on a street circuit since the 2018 St. Petersburg race.
His 2025 resurgence, achieved in a team undergoing continual rebuilding, signals VeeKay’s determination and talent. After a season marked by both adversity and flashes of brilliance, his profile as a potential Penske driver looks increasingly compelling.
A Calculated Gamble for Team Penske’s Future
Most observers remain convinced that David Malukas will be the next to drive the No. 12 Penske entry. Nonetheless, with a history of bold choices, Team Penske might consider taking a chance on a former Road to Indy champion like Rinus VeeKay, whose adaptability and ability to extract performance from underdog equipment set him apart among available drivers.
For a team renowned for shaping future champions, the opportunity to tap into unproven potential could pay dividends in the competitive landscape of the 2026 IndyCar season. As speculation builds, all eyes are on Team Penske to see if they’ll play it safe or make a decisive—and possibly bold—move for their 2026 campaign.
