The question of who will claim the next maiden title in the NTT IndyCar SERIES has sparked fascinating debate, with experts pointing to several rising contenders capable of breaking through. Curt Cavin highlights Kyle Kirkwood as a prime candidate. Having progressed through four seasons with Andretti Global from 24th with AJ Foyt Racing to 11th, seventh, fourth, and second, Kirkwood is backed to eventually join the champion’s room. While overcoming Alex Palou might require waiting a couple of years, Cavin also dismisses looming free-agent chatter by predicting Kirkwood stays loyal to drive the No. 27 Honda for Andretti Global for years to come.
Looking toward Team Penske, Eric Smith believes Scott McLaughlin is the driver destined for a maiden crown. Noting that Scott Dixon could not topple Palou over the past four seasons and is now moving to Arrow McLaren, Smith suggests any dethroning of Palou would coincide with a down year for Chip Ganassi Racing. McLaughlin closed 2026 with three consecutive top-five finishes, capped by a victory in the season finale at Laguna Seca. Having already secured three Australian V8 Supercars titles, the versatile machine is tipped to take his maiden IndyCar SERIES title within the next two to three years.
Arni Sribhen points to the historical dominance of the powerhouse stables, noting that the past 14 champions drove for either Chip Ganassi Racing or Team Penske. Sribhen puts forward David Malukas as the best shot among non-champions, highlighting a breakout first season with Team Penske that yielded four runner-up finishes despite missing out on victory lane. Drawing a parallel to Simon Pagenaud—who went winless in his debut season with Penske before claiming the title the following year—Sribhen sees Malukas tracking down the exact same path to glory.
Finally, Paul Kelly focuses on Christian Lundgaard to make the leap. After taking his maiden win from pole on the streets of Toronto in 2023 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, the Dane added two road-course wins in 2026 at the Sonsio Grand Prix and Road America with Arrow McLaren. Though oval performance was viewed as a weakness—prompting Arrow McLaren to drop him—Lundgaard showed improvements with third- and sixth-place finishes at Milwaukee in August. A move to Chip Ganassi Racing now pairs him with strategist Mike Hull and advisor Dario Franchitti to master circle tracks, armed with extra motivation from his former team's rebuke.
