Bobby Travis · NASCAR/IndyCar Correspondent
The six-time IndyCar champion will end his tenure with the team at the close of the 2026 season, concluding one of the sport's most successful driver-team partnerships since 2002.
Scott Dixon is parting ways with Chip Ganassi Racing after 25 years. The New Zealand driver, who joined the team in 2002, will leave the organization at the end of the ongoing 2026 IndyCar season. During his tenure, Dixon claimed six championships, won the Indianapolis 500, and accumulated 59 race victories, one of the strongest resumes in series history.
One of the Series' Most Defining Eras
From 2002 onward, Dixon's presence in the Chip Ganassi Racing cockpit delivered titles with impressive regularity: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2020. Included in that span was his victory at the Indianapolis 500 in 2008, the sport's most prestigious race. With 59 wins, he ranks among IndyCar's most successful drivers ever, a total reflecting over two decades of consistency across ovals, road courses, and street circuits alike.
What makes Dixon's career at Ganassi so remarkable is precisely this versatility. A driver who performed at the front on mile ovals like Iowa just as effectively as on technically demanding road courses demonstrates an adaptability that is rarely seen in a series with such diverse track types.
McLaren Makes Its Move for 2027
What circulated as rumor through the paddock weeks ago is now official: Dixon will move to Arrow McLaren for the 2027 season. Ganassi and McLaren confirmed the step publicly over the summer, accompanied by an official farewell statement from Chip Ganassi himself.
For Dixon, it marks his first team change in over two decades of IndyCar competition, driven by the opportunity to contribute to Bruce McLaren's legacy and embrace a new challenge after 25 years in the same cockpit. Arrow McLaren has already unveiled its 2027 lineup officially: Dixon joins Pato O'Ward and Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist. Rounding out the roster is Ryan Hunter-Reay, who strengthens the team as Sporting Director and additional driver for the Indianapolis 500.
What the Departure Means for Ganassi
For Chip Ganassi Racing, the end of this partnership marks the close of an era that defined the team for much of the 2000s and 2010s. Over all those years, Dixon was the constant focal point of the driver lineup, regardless of which teammates came and went.
The search for his replacement is already underway: Christian Lundgaard is considered the favorite to take over the number 9 seat, though he will need to leave his current team at season's end, as will Nolan Siegel, who must vacate his McLaren cockpit to make room for the new roster. Until then, the 2026 season itself remains compelling: Dixon drives his final year in a Ganassi chassis with clear motivation to give this era a worthy conclusion before the new chapter at Arrow McLaren begins.
