{"id":487886,"date":"2026-02-18T12:23:31","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T12:23:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/487886\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T12:23:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T12:23:31","slug":"will-powers-replacement-david-malukas-tops-phoenix-indycar-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/487886\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Power\u2019s replacement David Malukas tops Phoenix IndyCar test"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Power\u2019s
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDavid Malukas in the #12 Team Penske Chevrolet during the IndyCar test at Phoenix. Image: Joe Skibinski<\/p>\n

After completing 68 laps, Malukas led teammate Josef Newgarden by just 0.0708s.<\/p>\n

In third sat Will Power, who was replaced by Malukas following the 2025 season. The Australian wound up 0.1092s off the pace with 89 laps to his name.<\/p>\n

Power\u2019s Andretti Global teammate Kyle Kirkwood was fourth while four-time champion Alex Palou completed the top five for Chip Ganassi Racing.<\/p>\n

Malukas said he was happy to end up on top during a day that was spent getting up to speed with his team team<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s hard for test days, because you know, you\u2019re running through your own plans \u2013 but I mean, of course, it feels good,\u201d said Malukas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that we have pace. The car is good, and we\u2019ve kicked off our oval set with the team on a strong suit.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I feel confident, but is it what we were aiming for today? No, we just ran through our test plan, and we managed to get a time up on the board.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it feel good? Yeah, I would say it feels good.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m feeling great. This is the best I\u2019ve felt in a very long time. The chemistry I have with the guys, the team, I\u2019m just so happy,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get to race this beautiful car. It\u2019s fantastic. It\u2019s a dream for me. So every time I come in and out of the pits, I\u2019m smiling. I got a big smile on my face, and I think on top of that, it adds to the performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou see that with all the other guys. You know, everybody is on it. They have their own missions to make sure that, as a team, we can get good results. Just being in that environment, it\u2019s perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Zealand\u2019s interests were led by Marcus Armstrong, who was sixth for Meyer Shank Racing.<\/p>\n

Team Penske\u2019s Scott McLaughlin was not far behind in eighth while six-time champion Scott Dixon ended up ninth for Chip Ganassi Racing.<\/p>\n

Of the rookies, Dennis Hauger was quickest for Dale Coyne Racing in 17th. Mick Schumacher was 23rd and one second off the pace of Malukas.<\/p>\n

Caio Collet was only 25th after he crashed his AJ Foyt Racing-prepared car.<\/p>\n

Testing will continue on Thursday at the one-mile-long Phoenix oval.<\/p>\n

Results: IndyCar Series Unser Open Test, Phoenix Raceway<\/p>\n

Pos
\nNum
\nDriver
\nTeam
\nEngine
\nLaps
\nSpeed (mph)
\nLap
\nDiff
\nGap<\/p>\n

1
\n12
\nDavid Malukas
\nTeam Penske
\nChevy
\n68
\n172.605
\n20.8569
\n20.8569<\/p>\n

2
\n2
\nJosef Newgarden
\nTeam Penske
\nChevy
\n82
\n172.021
\n20.9277
\n0.0708
\n0.0708<\/p>\n

3
\n26
\nWill Power
\nAndretti Global
\nHonda
\n89
\n171.706
\n20.9661
\n0.1092
\n0.0384<\/p>\n

4
\n27
\nKyle Kirkwood
\nAndretti Global
\nHonda
\n68
\n171.423
\n21.0007
\n0.1438
\n0.0346<\/p>\n

5
\n10
\nAlex Palou
\nChip Ganassi Racing
\nHonda
\n55
\n171.357
\n21.0088
\n0.1519
\n0.0081<\/p>\n

6
\n66
\nMarcus Armstrong
\nMeyer Shank Racing
\nHonda
\n56
\n170.919
\n21.0626
\n0.2057
\n0.0538<\/p>\n

7
\n60
\nFelix Rosenqvist
\nMeyer Shank Racing
\nHonda
\n98
\n170.489
\n21.1157
\n0.2588
\n0.0531<\/p>\n

8
\n3
\nScott McLaughlin
\nTeam Penske
\nChevy
\n77
\n170.433
\n21.1227
\n0.2658
\n0.007<\/p>\n

9
\n9
\nScott Dixon
\nChip Ganassi Racing
\nHonda
\n67
\n170.181
\n21.1539
\n0.297
\n0.0312<\/p>\n

10
\n20
\nAlexander Rossi
\nEd Carpenter Racing
\nChevy
\n118
\n169.911
\n21.1876
\n0.3307
\n0.0337<\/p>\n

11
\n15
\nGraham Rahal
\nRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
\nHonda
\n78
\n169.88
\n21.1914
\n0.3345
\n0.0038<\/p>\n

12
\n28
\nMarcus Ericsson
\nAndretti Global
\nHonda
\n83
\n169.845
\n21.1958
\n0.3389
\n0.0044<\/p>\n

13
\n76
\nRinus VeeKay
\nJuncos Racing
\nChevy
\n108
\n169.742
\n21.2086
\n0.3517
\n0.0128<\/p>\n

14
\n21
\nChristian Rasmussen
\nEd Carpenter Racing
\nChevy
\n128
\n169.507
\n21.238
\n0.3811
\n0.0294<\/p>\n

15
\n45
\nLouis Foster
\nRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
\nHonda
\n93
\n169.452
\n21.2449
\n0.388
\n0.0069<\/p>\n

16
\n5
\nPato O\u2019Ward
\nArrow McLaren
\nChevy
\n98
\n169.405
\n21.2509
\n0.394
\n0.006<\/p>\n

17
\n19
\nDennis Hauger
\nDale Coyne Racing
\nHonda
\n55
\n169.259
\n21.2692
\n0.4123
\n0.0183<\/p>\n

18
\n6
\nNolan Siegel
\nArrow McLaren
\nChevy
\n104
\n168.955
\n21.3074
\n0.4505
\n0.0565<\/p>\n

19
\n77
\nSting Ray Robb
\nJuncos Racing
\nChevy
\n106
\n168.579
\n21.355
\n0.4981
\n0.0476<\/p>\n

20
\n7
\nChristian Lundgaard
\nArrow McLaren
\nChevy
\n78
\n167.983
\n21.4307
\n0.5738
\n0.0219<\/p>\n

21
\n8
\nKyffin Simpson
\nChip Ganassi Racing
\nHonda
\n97
\n167.454
\n21.4985
\n0.6416
\n0.0678<\/p>\n

22
\n14
\nSantino Ferrucci
\nAJ Foyt Racing
\nChevy
\n43
\n165.217
\n21.7895
\n0.8568
\n0.0023<\/p>\n

23
\n47
\nMick Schumacher
\nRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
\nHonda
\n109
\n164.006
\n21.9504
\n1.0935
\n0.0538<\/p>\n

24
\n18
\nRomain Grosjean
\nAJ Foyt Racing
\nHonda
\n40
\n163.228
\n22.055
\n1.1981
\n0.1046<\/p>\n

25
\n4
\nCaio Collet
\nAJ Foyt Racing
\nChevy
\n51
\n162.474
\n22.1574
\n1.2297
\n0.0191<\/p>\n


\"\"\/
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