David Malukas has clear expectations of Will Power at Andretti Global after replacing him at Team Penske

David Malukas has shared his expectations about Will Power's new partnership with Andretti Global beginning in the 2026 IndyCar season. The 24-year-old will replace the two-time IndyCar champion at Team Penske, piloting the No. 12 Chevy from next season.

This switch at Penske was seemingly in the works since the team signed him for 2025 and placed him in the No. 4 AJ Foyt Racing Chevy. It wasn't initially intended for 2026, considering that the Roger Penske-led team was ready to offer Power a one-year extension.

But the 2018 Indy 500 winner rejected the offer because it came a little too late and wasn't in line with his expectations of a multi-year extension. Parallelly, he had talks with Andretti Global, where Colton Herta was set to vacate his seat to pursue his F1 dream. The Dan Towriss-led team offered Will Power a multi-year deal.

Consequently, Team Penske promoted David Malukas to fill the shoes of the IndyCar legend from 2026 onwards. In a recent interview with The Detroit News, Malukas spoke about his full-circle moment of replacing the driver he idolized as a child and expected 'fantastic' things to come out of Power's new era with Andretti Global.

"Will Power is a legend, and I watched him at Team Penske as a kid through the TV screen," said Malukas. "I remember going on my little Razor scooter inside the house, and my mom was very upset. I was racing against Will Power. Fast forward, I get to race side-by-side with him in real life. I know he's going to do fantastic things (at Andretti)."

David Malukas took part in his first test with Team Penske in early October at the World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis. It has been his best track in IndyCar since his debut in 2022 and where he earned his first two career podiums with Dale Coyne Racing.

David Malukas reveals the "perfect" aspect of driving for Team Penske

David Malukas with his girlfriend at the 2025 IndyCar Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix - Source: Getty

David Malukas pointed out one of the best aspects of driving for Team Penske. The 24-year-old highlighted how the Roger Penske-led organization offers a great work-life synergy, where drivers can be perfectly competitive on track and also forget about the high-pressure world of racing when it comes to spending time with the family.

"Team Penske has figured out a perfect unification of two different sides: You're competitive, but at the same time, you're family-oriented and can still have a very good time. It's a really good mix," Malukas said.

All three pre-David Malukas-era Team Penske drivers - Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin, and Will Power are married to their respective spouses with children, and have spent at least over 5 seasons driving for the team. Power concluded a 17-year stint this year; Newgarden will enter his 10th season with Penske in 2026, and McLaughlin, his sixth.

Malukas, who aced his first year with AJ Foyt Racing in 2025, including a podium at the Indy 500, was sandwiched between the Penske drivers in the championship standings at the end of the season, with Newgarden behind him. The 2026 IndyCar season will kick off with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 1, with less than 100 days to go for the season-opening race weekend.

Edited by Yash Kotak