Dale Coyne Racing has expressed a strong interest in retaining Rinus Veekay for the 2026 IndyCar season, as the Dutch driver continues to impress with his performances. Veekay, who has been a key asset for the team in 2025, also plays a significant mentorship role for rookie teammate Jacob Abel. However, his future remains uncertain, influenced partly by the moves of other drivers in the field, especially <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/tag/will-power/”>Will Power.
Veekay’s journey in the 2025 season has drawn attention. Despite being the last driver signed for this year’s 27-driver grid, joining Dale Coyne Racing less than a month before the season started at St. Petersburg, the 24-year-old quickly proved his value. He qualified 12th and improved to finish ninth in his first race with a Honda-powered car, marking a notable shift after five years driving a Chevrolet-powered vehicle with Ed Carpenter Racing.
Through the season, Veekay achieved four additional top-10 finishes and secured a top-five result, culminating in a podium appearance in Toronto. This podium was notable both for ending Veekay’s three-year absence from the top three and for delivering Dale Coyne Racing’s first podium in two years.
Dale Coyne on Contract Talks and Team Composition for Next Year
Regarding Veekay’s contract for 2026, Dale Coyne spoke openly about the team’s plans in a recent RACER interview. The team owner indicated there would be stability in driver lineups across IndyCar next season, given other teams’ announcements such as Marcus Armstrong continuing with Meyer Shank Racing. Coyne remarked,
“I think it will. Like I’ve been saying, I don’t think we’re going to see many changes next year. We just saw (Marcus) Armstrong’s going to continue with Meyer Shank, so he’s staying put.”
—Dale Coyne, Team Owner
On when the team’s driver lineup would be finalized, Coyne added,
“I think you’ll know our two drivers long before Halloween (October 31).”
—Dale Coyne, Team Owner
Veekay previously raced for Ed Carpenter Racing from 2019 through 2024. Even though he had stronger results than teammate Christian Rasmussen in 2024, Ed Carpenter Racing replaced Veekay with 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi for the 2025 season, leading to his mid-offseason signing with Dale Coyne Racing.
Veekay Waiting on Will Power’s Decision Before Committing to 2026 Deal
In the weeks following his podium in Toronto, Rinus Veekay gave insight into his contractual outlook during an interview on current IndyCar driver Conor Daly’s podcast, Speed Street. He explained that despite strong on-track performances increasing his market value, he wanted to explore all options before committing to Dale Coyne Racing for 2026. Notably, he expressed his intention to monitor what two-time IndyCar champion Will Power decides to do, as Power’s contract with Team Penske also expires after the 2025 season.
“Of course, Dale and me too are very interested in working with each other again in the future and next year,”
—Rinus Veekay, IndyCar Driver
“But I need to see what my options are right now. My stock has been pretty good. It’s gone up quite considerably. You know, I am hearing some chatter around, but it’s still not clear what the silly season is gonna bring.”
—Rinus Veekay, IndyCar Driver
When asked about specific developments influencing his 2026 plans, Veekay stressed the importance of Power’s upcoming announcement, saying,
“I think we’re all waiting for Will Power to make his move. That’s gonna shuffle the board game.”
—Rinus Veekay, IndyCar Driver
Team Penske is expected to make Power’s future public only after the 2025 season finale in Nashville, scheduled for late August. Given Power’s stature and options, his decision is widely anticipated to trigger multiple driver movements across IndyCar, potentially reshaping several team rosters.
Implications for Driver Market and 2026 Season Lineups
The uncertainty around Veekay’s contract situation highlights the wider tensions in the 2026 IndyCar driver market, where championship-winning veterans like Power can influence numerous team decisions. Dale Coyne Racing’s desire to keep Veekay reflects the driver’s rising profile, yet his need to consider all possibilities is a testament to the competitive and fluid nature of driver contracts during the offseason’s “silly season.” The coming weeks will be crucial, as announcements by prominent drivers like Power will likely set off a chain reaction of moves impacting contracts and team compositions leading into 2026.