News summary
- Scott Dixon expects an emotional farewell from Chip Ganassi Racing at Laguna Seca after 25 seasons and six IndyCar championships with the team.
- Dixon says the atmosphere at Ganassi has remained positive despite his decision to join McLaren for the 2027 season.
- The 2026 Laguna Seca finale will also be unpredictable, with the veteran pointing to changing track conditions and uncertain strategy as key factors.
In addition to closing out the 2026 IndyCar season, the Laguna Seca GP will mark Scott Dixon’s farewell from Chip Ganassi Racing after more than two decades with the team. The six-time champion expects an emotional weekend and emphasized that his final season in the #9 car has been an enjoyable one. The New Zealander also pointed out that the California circuit changes from year to year because of repaving work, making strategy particularly unpredictable.
Dixon has signed with McLaren and will join the papaya team alongside Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist in 2027. Over the years, the New Zealander has played an important technical role within Chip Ganassi Racing, particularly in setup development — one of the factors that has also helped fuel Álex Palou’s recent dominance in the championship.
The move represents the end of an exceptionally successful partnership. Dixon won six IndyCar championships and the Indianapolis 500 with Ganassi, but the relationship gradually became more complicated as the team increasingly concentrated its financial resources on Palou. Dixon ultimately opted for a new challenge after not receiving a salary proposal he felt reflected his trajectory and historical importance to the organization.
The move to McLaren was announced earlier this year, with Dixon set to become part of a formidable 2027 lineup alongside O’Ward and Rosenqvist. O’Ward has already described the six-time champion as the greatest driver in IndyCar history and expressed his excitement about sharing a team with him.
Despite the change, Dixon said the relationship with Ganassi has remained healthy heading into the final race.
“Laguna Seca will be emotional, for sure. It’s been a lot of fun, with a really good energy — everyone has been fantastic so far and I don’t see that changing,” the veteran said.
Dixon also expects the final round of the 2026 season to be unpredictable, as Laguna Seca’s track conditions have changed over the years and strategy can quickly become difficult to read.
“It’s a difficult race — the track changes every year after it has been repaved. Even now, there have been situations where some areas have been repaved, which brings some unknowns, and the strategy is always crazy,” he said.
And although he praised Laguna Seca as a venue, the #9 driver believes there are better places to finish an IndyCar season.
“It’s a beautiful area and it’s a lot of fun to be there. I’m not sure it’s the ideal place to finish the championship, simply because it’s a bit of a sleepy race, but it is what it is,” Dixon concluded.
Dixon heads into his final race for Ganassi after one of the more modest seasons of his career. The New Zealander is set to finish the year without a win for the first time since 2004, with just one podium — third place at Long Beach — to his name.
His final championship position will also underline the unusual nature of the campaign. Dixon currently sits 12th in the standings, while Álex Palou has already secured his fifth IndyCar title, continuing Ganassi’s remarkable recent run of success.
The 2026 IndyCar season concludes this weekend, September 4–6, at Laguna Seca. The finale will also determine the runner-up in the championship, with Christian Lundgaard, Kyle Kirkwood and Pato O’Ward separated by just three points heading into the final round.
For the complete weekend timetable, see the Laguna Seca GP schedule and session times. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action from the IndyCar season finale.
