IndyCar veteran Will Power has officially joined Andretti Global as the successor to Colton Herta for the 2026 season, expressing surprise at Herta’s driving abilities after reviewing his onboard footage. The Australian driver recently shared his reflections as the new season approaches, highlighting his respect for Herta’s talent and discussing his transition into the new team environment.
Following the 2025 IndyCar season, Colton Herta moved to the Cadillac F1 program as a reserve driver and took on a full-time position in Formula 2, pursuing his aspiration to become a full-time Formula 1 competitor. This shift opened the opportunity for Will Power to step in as Herta’s replacement at Andretti Global, beginning January 1, 2026. Power has been working to adapt to the new team and develop strong working relationships within an unfamiliar setting.
In an interview ahead of the upcoming season, Power spoke about his conversations with Herta, praising the American driver’s deep familiarity with the team and car. He indicated the value of insights gained through discussions not only with Herta but also with Herta’s father, Bryan, which helped identify areas for performance improvements.
“Yeah, it was a good conversation with Colton. Obviously he’s been in that car for a while and been around that team. Even his dad, I had good conversations with Bryan, so they kind of know kind of where improvements need to happen and so on because that’s sort of all you talk about, what do you think we need to do. But it was very handy speaking to him.” – Will Power, Andretti Global driver
Will Power also commended Herta’s ability to maximize the car’s potential, even when the balance was less than ideal, underscoring the American’s inherent driving skill.
“Just watching his onboards, he’s very good. I can tell he’s very — he really gets the most out of the car, even when it’s not completely balanced. You can see that he extracts — his actual natural ability is very strong.” – Will Power, Andretti Global driver
As part of his preseason preparations, Power is set to participate in the open test sessions at Sebring International Raceway on February 9 and 10, followed by a test at Phoenix Raceway the next week. These sessions will provide essential track time to help Power integrate with the team and familiarize himself with his new race engineer.
Will Power Reflects on Differences Between Andretti Global and Team Penske Cars
Power was the top-finishing driver for Team Penske in the 2025 IndyCar season, but after being released by Roger Penske, he transitioned to Andretti Global. Having tested the Andretti Global car during the January Firestone tire test at Phoenix Raceway, he shared his initial impressions of the new machinery compared to his previous car.
“Yeah, the Honda power felt really good. I didn’t have too much comparison, obviously, on the road courses. We’ll understand where the strengths are once I get to run around other cars and so on.” – Will Power, Andretti Global driver
Power acknowledged the strengths of the Team Penske car on short ovals, noting that it served as a useful reference point for providing feedback to improve his current vehicle’s performance. He described the Andretti Global car as well-balanced and fast, with room for further enhancements.
“I felt like the Penske car was the best on short ovals, so obviously I kind of know what that feeling is and sort of gave some good feedback on where we could go. Actually the car was really balanced. It was also fast. I had a Penske car to compare it to. Quite fast. Yeah, it’s there. There’s obviously always room for improvement. Yeah, not a big shock to the system. Not at all.” – Will Power, Andretti Global driver
The 2026 IndyCar season is scheduled to start on March 1 at St. Petersburg, Florida, where fans will see Power compete in his new team colors. Meanwhile, Team Penske has signed David Malukas to fill Power’s former seat, marking a fresh chapter for both drivers and their respective teams.
