Kyle Kirkwood is assured Andretti International are closing the hole to Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) coming into the 2026 IndyCar season.
“I feel we’re shut,” mentioned Kirkwood, 27. “We’re not too far off, and we clearly work in the direction of being at these 10/10ths.
“It is one thing that I’ve talked about to a couple individuals right here, a few of our quick oval tempo is execution in a few of our highway course tempo. If we will nail down these issues — and it is not far off. It is like a pair tenths (of a second) right here and there. If we will capitalize on a couple of of these areas, we’ll be proper there within the combine.”
Final season noticed the Florida native come out of the gate with power, hitting a career-high in wins with three – second-most within the IndyCar Sequence solely to CGR’s Alex Palou, who had eight – en path to fourth within the championship standings.
“We proved to be proper there within the combine at sure tracks, it is simply not all of them,” Kirkwood mentioned.
“And fairly truthfully, Ganassi is not at 10/10ths at each observe. It is extra so their highway course efficiency than anyplace. If we will capitalize on the locations that possibly they don’t seem to be as robust, then we’ll have a greater outlook into our season.”
For the entire positives of final season for Kirkwood and the No. 27 Andretti International Honda, there have been a number of drawbacks. The second half of the season noticed 5 finishes of twelfth or worse over the past seven races.
“No, execution wasn’t impeccable, partially as a result of me, or possibly principally as a result of me,” Kirkwood mentioned. “Yeah, a few of our quick oval struggles weren’t nice and the final half of the season was a lot full of highway programs, which we did battle on as properly.
“Colton (Herta) did not battle as a lot as I did on a number of the highway programs. Like Laguna, he completed on the rostrum; we completed approach within the again after some penalties. However simply getting slightly bit higher at a few of these locations, a few of it is on me. It is not simply, ‘Oh, we have to get sooner at some locations.’ I must execute slightly bit higher, too. It is a mixture of issues.”
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti International, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Photograph by: Artwork Fleischmann
There have been some key adjustments at Andretti over the offseason. Will Energy is available in after 17 years with Workforce Penske, changing the Method 2-bound Colton Herta alongside Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson. Andretti additionally added one other former Workforce Penske veteran in Ron Ruzewski as its group principal, permitting Rob Edwards to slip over to the position because the group’s Chief Efficiency Officer.
And Kirkwood has been laborious at work over the offseason choosing the mind of Energy, a two-time IndyCar champion and 45-time race winner, together with the 2018 Indianapolis 500. Don’t anticipate him to let you know what he’s discovered, although.
“I am unable to actually give away any secrets and techniques,” Kirkwood mentioned. “I would say there’ve been some fascinating moments that have been like, ‘Oh, wow, that is a very totally different look on some issues. It is just about daily that there is one thing new. You go down these rabbit holes in IndyCar in case you like in the direction of setup philosophies, and each group is slightly bit totally different, and it is like one little segue level that separates after which you find yourself on two totally different islands.
“It looks like different groups try this, proper, the place they segue at one level and find yourself on a distinct island. However all of them have the identical strategy of how they give it some thought, it is simply how do you begin that course of and the place does it take you from there.
“It is fascinating how different groups and different drivers and engineers concentrate on sure issues.”
Learn Additionally:
We wish your opinion!
What would you wish to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Workforce
