Felix Rosenqvist bows out of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES with a fourth-place finish in the season-ending Grand Prix of Monterey, bringing down the curtain on his three-year tenure with Meyer Shank Racing.
As a memorable campaign drew to a close at Laguna Seca, Rosenqvist was on typically strong form at the California road course where he has regularly performed well throughout his INDYCAR career.
Stringing together a sequence of P2, P2, and P1 in the weekend’s three practice sessions, Rosenqvist was a regular frontrunner in the season finale, qualifying his No. 60 MSR Honda in third on the grid – just half a tenth off pole position.
In Sunday’s 95-lap race, the Swede initially maintained third place, but dropped behind Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood on a restart following an early caution.
With the rest of the race running caution-free, Rosenqvist managed to extend his opening two stints by a lap over the other top contenders, twice circling into the lead as the pit stop cycles played out.
Moving into the final ten laps, Rosenqvist was sitting fifth, but chased down Penske’s David Malukas and made a move for fourth with six to go. He then duly brought his Nickelback-themed car home for his third career top five at Laguna Seca.
“I’m really pleased to end the season with a decent result today,” says Felix Rosenqvist. ”I was running third initially but had some wheelspin on the restart and Kirkwood got by. We got better as the race went on and we were really good on the last stint on the blacks (primary tyres). I gave it everything I had.
”It was an emotional race – my last ride with the team. I tried to take it all in on the in-lap and it brought back all of the memories; specifically our Indy 500 win. I’m super proud of what we have done together.”
Rosenqvist ends up ninth overall in the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings with a total tally of 412 championship points.
The undisputed highlight of the season is the iconic Indy 500 victory, which saw Rosenqvist emerge triumphant by 23 thousandths of a second in the closest finish in the century-plus history of the event.
RELIVE: 2026 Indy 500 – Final Lap
During the season, Rosenqvist has also pocketed two pole positions (Long Beach and Portland) and led the highest number of laps in two races (Long Beach and Road America).
”All in all, 2026 has been the best year of my life,” says Felix Rosenqvist. ”Especially the time around May, which I will never forget. First becoming a father, which is the biggest thing of all, and then winning the Indy 500 a few weeks later. It’s almost too good to be true.”
Looking ahead, Rosenqvist is now set to enter the next chapter of his career. In 2027 and beyond, he will compete for Arrow McLaren, rejoining the team he previously drove for between 2021–2023. Rosenqvist slots into a high-profile driver line-up also featuring Pato O’Ward and six-time INDYCAR champion Scott Dixon.
“I’m already excited for what lies ahead next season and tackling that challenge,” Felix Rosenqvist concludes. “Right here and now, however, I would like to take the opportunity to say a warm thank you to everyone at Meyer Shank Racing. We have achieved some incredible things together over the past three years and I only have good things to say about my time here. I wish Mike, Jim and the entire team all the best in the future.”
The 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES begins with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 7.
RESULTS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 18
Grand Prix of Monterey
Laguna Seca (USA)
1: Scott McLaughlin (NZL), Penske, 95 laps
2: Kyle Kirkwood (USA), Andretti, +1.373s
3: Alexander Rossi (USA), ECR, +2.810s
4: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, +5.288s
5: David Malukas (USA), Penske, +14.588s
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | After 18/18 races
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 631 p.
2: Kyle Kirkwood (USA), Andretti, 545 p.
3: Christian Lundgaard (DEN), Arrow McLaren, 535 p.
4: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 522 p.
5: David Malukas (USA), Penske, 514 p.
—
9: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, 412 p.