Grand Prix

Romain Grosjean Makes Shocking 2026 Return to IndyCar

The 2026 IndyCar full-season roster is officially complete with the final seat being announced just two weeks in advance of the St. Petersburg Series Opener.
Kaitlin Tucci|
Romain Grosjean
Romain Grosjean | IMAGO / Michael Potts

IndyCar fans have waited until nearly the last minute for Dale Coyne Racing to announce who will fill the second car of their 2-car program for the 2026 season. In a surprising move, the team has opted to bring back a series regular who was without a seat in 2025.

The French Driver last competed in the series in 2024 and spent the 2025 season in both sports-car racing and as a Prema IndyCar reserve driver, likely biding his time for a return in 2026. That gamble paid off.

Romain Grosjean will return to full-season IndyCar competition in just two weeks in St Petersburg, piloting the Number 18 Dale Coyne Racing Car, alongside IndyNXT Champion Dennis Hauger.

Full circle return to Dale Coyne Racing

Grosjean has a notably memorable career in motorsport. Of course, most racing fans will remember him from his tenure at the Haas Formula 1 Team, and one of the worst crashes in recent Formula 1 History in late 2020.

However, his return to Dale Coyne Racing brings his IndyCar journey full circle. It was with Coyne in 2021 that Grosjean made his series debut after stepping away from Formula 1 into American open-wheel racing. That 'rookie' IndyCar season included multiple podium finishes and a pole position at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.

After that breakout year, Grosjean moved to Andretti for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, where he added a handful of podium finishes to his resume. He finished his career at Juncos Holinger Racing, where he had his worst performance to date, finishing 17th overall.

Dale Coyne and Romain Grosjean
Dale Coyne and Romain Grosjean | Penske Entertainment: Chris Jones

Despite flashes of pace and control, it was often remarked that Grosjean lacked consistency, with a race win also remaining elusive. This key storyline will follow him back to Dale Coyne in 2026.

When asked why Grosjean was the right fit for the team, Dale Coyne remarked that they felt his experience was key.

"Pairing an exceptional rookie in Dennis with a proven veteran like Romain gives us a strong competitive foundation. Bringing back key pieces of our history while building new global partnerships positions us well for 2026.”
Dale Coyne, Team Owner

Renewed excitement and new sponsors

As Dale Coyne referenced, Grosjean wasn't just welcomed back to the team based on pure pace. The standard in IndyCar is that speed comes first, but sponsors and dollars come at a close second when choosing drivers, especially for smaller teams like Dale Coyne.

Romain Grosjean Sebring Test
Romain Grosjean Sebring Test | Penske Entertainment: Chris Owens

The announcement also confirmed that Grosjean's Number 18 Dale Coyne Car will feature sponsorship from Bitcoin MAX as part of a larger partnership. The crypto brand will serve as the primary backing to fund the car and aligns with Grosjean's role as global ambassador for the company.

Romain Grosjean completes the expected starting grid for the 2026 season that will begin on Friday, February 27th (practice) in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Kaitlin Tucci
KAITLIN TUCCI

Kaitlin Tucci has been a fan of motorsport for close to a decade. Before joining On SI in 2025, she contributed heavily to the marketing and media efforts at FanAmp, a motorsports startup for which she was the Head of Marketing. She has contributed to a number of publications covering series such as Formula 1, IndyCar, IMSA, and more... Kaitlin graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with both a degree in Business/Marketing and Political Science. She works full time as a marketer at high-growth tech startups while spending her weekends immersed in the world of racing. Kaitlin was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, but has lived in New York City for the past 5 years with her 'giant chihuahua' Willow. You'll often catch Willow watching races alongside Kaitlin, but unfortunately she doesn't have enough airline miles to join her at the track just yet.

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