IndyCar News: Palou turns fastest lap in Monday Testing at Sebring

The Florida sun rose over the battered asphalt of Sebring International Raceway’s short course on February 9, 2026, casting long shadows across the bumpy, unforgiving ribbon of concrete and tarmac that IndyCar teams had chosen for their first collective shakeout of the new season.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Engines cracked the morning quiet as Group 1 rolled out. Twelve cars. Twelve stories. And one familiar name at the top of the timing screen.

Alex Palou, the four-time and reigning champion, wasted no time. In the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, he carved a lap of 52.626 seconds that set the benchmark before most drivers had even found their rhythm. Felix Rosenqvist, in the Meyer Shank Racing Honda that shares technical ties with Ganassi, slotted into second at 52.650. Rinus VeeKay showed Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Chevy had bite with a 52.756, while Josef Newgarden and Kyle Kirkwood rounded out an impressive top five.

Alex Palou – INDYCAR Sebring Test – Day 1 – By_ Chris Jones

The morning belonged to the usual suspects—but the afternoon told a different story.

As the sun climbed higher and the track heated, Group 2 took over. The paddock expected Scott McLaughlin or perhaps a Penske surge. Instead, a young Kiwi lit up the timing beacons.

Marcus Armstrong, in the No. 66 Meyer Shank Honda, delivered a stunning 52.847—just two-tenths off Palou’s best despite the warmer, slicker conditions. The gap was razor-thin. McLaughlin chased hard in the No. 3 Penske Chevy (53.039), with Sting Ray Robb, Kyffin Simpson, and Louis Foster all showing strong early form in their respective machines.

Marcus Armstrong (L) and Felix Rosenqvist – INDYCAR Sebring Test – Day 1 – By_ Chris Jones

Further down the order, the new blood turned heads. Nolan Siegel, Dennis Hauger, and Caio Collet—all adapting to full-time IndyCar life—clicked off clean, competitive laps. Mick Schumacher, the German rookie in the No. 47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda, logged valuable miles on the notoriously rough Sebring surface, learning the car and the bumps that would prepare him for St. Petersburg’s streets. Romain Grosjean and Scott Dixon, the veterans, methodically worked through their programs, content to gather data rather than chase headlines.

By the time the checkered flag fell on Day One, the combined timesheet told a tale of continuity and promise: Palou still the man to beat, but Armstrong’s afternoon charge served notice that the 2026 pecking order was far from settled.

As the cars fell silent and the teams packed up under the setting sun, the air buzzed with quiet excitement. Tires had been tested. Setups had been explored. Rookies had survived their first taste of the big leagues on one of the toughest tracks in America.

The real racing was still weeks away, but on a bumpy airfield in central Florida, the 2026 IndyCar season had already begun to take shape—one flying lap at a time.

Monday Unofficial Test Times

Pos	No.	Driver	Time	Session	Team	Engine
1	10	Alex Palou	52.626s	Morning	Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda
2	60	Felix Rosenqvist	52.650s	Morning	Meyer Shank Racing	Honda
3	76	Rinus VeeKay	52.756s	Morning	Juncos Hollinger Racing	Chevy
4	2	Josef Newgarden	52.846s	Morning	Team Penske	Chevy
5	66	Marcus Armstrong	52.847s	Afternoon	Meyer Shank Racing	Honda
6	27	Kyle Kirkwood	52.918s	Morning	Andretti Global	Honda
7	5	Pato O’Ward	53.018s	Morning	Arrow McLaren	Chevy
8	3	Scott McLaughlin	53.039s	Afternoon	Team Penske	Chevy
9	77	Sting Ray Robb	53.050s	Afternoon	Juncos Hollinger Racing	Chevy
10	8	Kyffin Simpson	53.135s	Afternoon	Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda
11	28	Marcus Ericsson	53.165s	Morning	Andretti Global	Honda
12	45	Louis Foster	53.167s	Afternoon	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	Honda
13	6	Nolan Siegel	53.172s	Afternoon	Arrow McLaren	Chevy
14	9	Scott Dixon	53.210s	Afternoon	Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda
15	15	Graham Rahal	53.325s	Morning	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	Honda
16	14	Santino Ferrucci	53.337s	Afternoon	AJ Foyt Racing	Chevy
17	26	Will Power	53.337s	Afternoon	Andretti Global	Honda
18	19	Dennis Hauger	53.413s	Afternoon	Dale Coyne Racing	Honda
19	12	David Malukas	53.442s	Morning	Team Penske	Chevy
20	4	Caio Collet	53.656s	Morning	AJ Foyt Racing	Chevy
21	7	Christian Lundgaard	53.769s	Afternoon	Arrow McLaren	Chevy
22	18	Romain Grosjean	53.798s	Morning	Dale Coyne Racing	Honda
23	47	Mick Schumacher	54.269s	Morning	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	Honda

Notes:
– Santino Ferrucci and Will Power are tied at 53.337s.
– This was the first official 2026 pre-season test on the Sebring road course.