Will Power leaves Team Penske after 17 seasons in the IndyCar Series

Will Power will conclude his career with Team Penske after 17 seasons with Roger Penske's organization. The announcement, made public on September 2nd, ends one of the most successful partnerships in recent IndyCar history, which produced two series championships and 42 wins for the driver from Toowoomba.

Power finished the 2025 season in ninth position in the championship, being the highest-ranked among the three Penske drivers. His victory in Portland last month represented the team's only win up to that point in a campaign that was shaping up to be one of the poorest in recent years for the squad.

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Partial Entry in 2009 as Substitute for Castroneves

Power's career with Penske began in 2009 when he joined on a partial basis as a substitute for Helio Castroneves, who was facing legal issues. A victory in Edmonton that year secured him a permanent seat for 2010, starting a relationship that would make him one of the team's most successful figures.

His first full season in 2010 established the pattern of excellence that would characterize him: five victories, eight poles, and the championship runner-up position. Power would repeat as championship runner-up in 2011 with six wins and eight poles, and again in 2012 with three more victories.

The first championship came in 2014 with wins at St. Petersburg, Detroit, and Milwaukee. Power completed every race that season and added multiple poles and podiums to finally conquer his first championship after three consecutive runner-up finishes.

2018 Indianapolis 500 and Historic Pole Record

The most important victory came in 2018 when he became the first driver from his country to win the Indianapolis 500. Starting from third position, he led 59 laps and delivered Penske its 200th open-wheel victory. That triumph crowned a season where he added three additional wins and six poles.

Power set a record that will be hard to beat: 71 pole positions in his 319 IndyCar races, making him the best qualifier in the series' history. Of his 45 total victories, 42 came wearing Penske colors, also accumulating 142 top 5 and 200 top 10 finishes throughout his career.

The second championship came in 2022, confirming his ability to maintain consistency throughout full seasons. Among his most notable achievements is having won at least one race in 16 of the last 17 seasons, a mark of exceptional regularity while leading 5,388 laps in his career.

Roger Penske acknowledged Power's contribution over nearly two decades. "As we discussed our future together, Will felt it was time for a change starting next season," explained Penske. "He has been an exceptional driver and teammate for our organization. His results speak for themselves and we wish him the best in the next phase of his career."

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Penske Suffered a Challenging 2025 Season

Power's decision comes after a particularly difficult 2025 season for Team Penske. The team faced penalties at the Indianapolis 500 that forced configuration changes and starting from rear positions. Only Power finished the race in a respectable position, while Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin were out of contention.

By July, all three Penske drivers had been mathematically eliminated from the championship fight, something unusual for an organization accustomed to fighting for titles until the final rounds. Power's victory in Portland broke a drought that threatened to leave the team winless for the first time in decades.

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Newgarden achieved the second and final victory of the year in Nashville during the final round, where McLaughlin completed the third place. Newgarden finished eighth in the championship while McLaughlin finished outside the top 10, completing a campaign where they only managed two wins the entire season.

Team Penske will announce its plans for the #12 Verizon Chevrolet car at a later date before the start of the 2026 season. Power's departure marks the end of an era for a team that must find a replacement capable of maintaining the competitive level he provided for nearly two decades.