News summary
- Caio Collet and Christian Lundgaard will each lose 6 grid positions at Laguna Seca after introducing an unapproved fifth engine for the 2026 season.
- The penalty confirms a decision anticipated by GRANDE PRÊMIO involving Collet’s #4 A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet after the rain-disrupted Milwaukee weekend.
- Lundgaard enters the finale fighting for second in the championship, while Collet still has a slim mathematical chance of improving his position in the Leader’s Circle and Rookie of the Year battles.
IndyCar announced Friday that Caio Collet and Christian Lundgaard will each receive a 6-place grid penalty for Sunday’s Laguna Seca finale after changing engines following the Milwaukee doubleheader.
The penalties apply to the #4 A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet driven by Collet and the #7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet of Lundgaard. Both teams introduced another engine before the final race of the season, triggering the penalty for an unapproved engine change.
The decision confirms information previously anticipated by GRANDE PRÊMIO concerning Collet’s engine. A.J. Foyt Racing had initially considered changing the Brazilian’s power unit between the 2 Milwaukee races, but the plan was abandoned after rain forced the conclusion of the first race to be moved to Sunday evening.
As a result, the team waited until after the Milwaukee doubleheader to make the change. Collet will now have to overcome the additional disadvantage when the 2026 season concludes at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Collet still has targets to chase
Collet arrives at the final round with a slim mathematical chance of overtaking Dennis Hauger and Mick Schumacher in the Rookie of the Year battle. He is also fighting to put the #4 entry inside the top 22 in entrant points, the position required to secure the $1.65 million Leader’s Circle payment for A.J. Foyt Racing.
The Brazilian is currently 31 points behind Hauger in the relevant standings. That means Collet needs a major result at Laguna Seca to keep the possibility alive, while also needing to gain ground on Schumacher.
The engine penalty makes that task even more difficult, as the 6-place drop will be applied to Collet’s qualifying position.
GRANDE PRÊMIO previously reported on the Foyt decision surrounding Collet’s engine after the Milwaukee schedule was disrupted. The team ultimately chose not to make the change during the doubleheader, with the replacement coming only after the 2 races.
Lundgaard faces extra challenge in fight for second
Lundgaard has a much more prominent championship objective at Laguna Seca.
The Arrow McLaren driver enters the finale in second place in the 2026 IndyCar standings, but the fight is extremely close. Christian Lundgaard, Kyle Kirkwood and Pato O’Ward are separated by only 3 points heading into the final race.
Lundgaard therefore cannot afford to lose 6 positions without consequences. The Dane has enjoyed a strong second half of the season and enters Laguna Seca looking to secure the runner-up spot, but the penalty gives Kirkwood and O’Ward an additional opportunity to move ahead.
Lundgaard also arrives after his strongest oval weekend of the season at Milwaukee, where he finished sixth and third across the 2 races.
Why did Collet and Lundgaard receive grid penalties?
The penalties stem from Rule 16.1.2.3.2, which governs the use of engines during the IndyCar season.
A fifth engine can be considered an approved change only after a full-season entrant has completed the required mileage with its first 4 engines. Otherwise, the additional engine is classified as an unapproved engine change-out.
The regulation establishes a 6-position grid penalty for road and street courses and a 9-position penalty at oval events. Laguna Seca is a road course, so both Collet and Lundgaard will drop 6 places from their qualifying positions.
The IndyCar season concludes this weekend, September 4-6, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, with the Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey serving as the 18th and final round of the 2026 championship.
FAQ
1. What time is the IndyCar Laguna Seca race?
The 2026 Laguna Seca finale takes place Sunday, September 6, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. It is the final race of the IndyCar season.
2. Who is fighting for second place in the 2026 IndyCar championship?
Christian Lundgaard, Kyle Kirkwood and Pato O’Ward are the main contenders for second place. They entered the Laguna Seca finale separated by only 3 points, while David Malukas remains further back with an outside mathematical chance.
3. Why is Caio Collet receiving a grid penalty at Laguna Seca?
Collet is receiving a 6-place penalty for an unapproved fifth engine change. The same penalty applies to Lundgaard, with IndyCar’s regulations prescribing a 6-place drop for unapproved engine changes at road and street-course races.
