Alex Palou is the undisputed king of INDYCAR, and if you thought 2026 was dominant, the “waaaayyyy-too-early” 2027 power rankings confirm he’s still the top dog. This dude has won the title in each of the last four years, racking up an insane 14 race victories in the last two seasons. Seriously, until someone figures out how to stop this five-time champion from winning every race, he’s staying at number one. There’s just no way he’s losing any ground going into 2027.
The Challengers: Kirkwood, Lundgaard, and a Fierce Field
While Palou is looking unstoppable, some serious talent is lining up to try and knock him off the throne. Kirkwood finished second in the standings for 2026, grabbing two huge wins at Arlington and Washington. He’s absolutely going to be in the mix, but cracking that Palou-Lundgaard combination is going to take everything going right. Lundgaard, who finished a mere 10 points out of second this year, is making a massive move to an organization that’s traditionally a stronger program. He could gain those crucial points driving for Ganassi, and let’s be real, who else is going to be in that seat?
The Dark Horses and Comeback Kids
The 2026 season saw some incredible performances and major shake-ups that could totally change the game for 2027. McLaughlin, who finished sixth in the standings, absolutely made a statement with his pole and win in the season finale at Laguna Seca, a track Palou usually owns. That victory is a clear sign he’s got more wins coming. Malukas, fifth in the standings, has huge upside entering his second season at Team Penske; he’ll probably need a couple of wins to break into the projected top three, though. O’Ward, fourth in 2026, has to step up his pace now that McLaughlin and Malukas are improving. His inconsistency on road and street courses, even with a win at Mid-Ohio, makes you wonder if he can keep up.
Then you’ve got Rosenqvist, the Indianapolis 500 winner, heading back to McLaren from Meyer Shank. He should be solid and comfortable returning to an organization he previously drove for. Power finished eleventh in the standings, which was largely on him in his first year at Andretti after a long Penske run. He led laps in twelve races but only had five podiums. Fewer mistakes and some better luck could mean a solid 2027 for him. Ericsson, who was seventh in the standings, pulled off a massive turnaround from twentieth in 2025. He won at Markham, and the Andretti Global team should be strong with all three drivers returning. Even Newgarden, who was eighth in points despite being hurt for much of the year, triumphed on short ovals where he always performs. You couldn’t leave him off the top ten. Keep an eye on Marcus Armstrong, Scott Dixon, and Rinus VeeKay too; any of those three could surprise everyone with a strong argument for a top spot.
The 2027 INDYCAR schedule isn’t even out yet, so predicting exactly how the season will unfold with varying numbers of ovals and road courses is tough. But one thing is clear: if anyone wants a shot at the 2027 championship, they’re going to have to find a way to dethrone the unstoppable Alex Palou.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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