Three races, three winners, three championship leaders! After Álex Palou and Josef Newgarden, it’s Kyle Kirkwood’s turn to climb to the top step of the podium and take the championship lead. IndyCar 2026. The Andretti Global rider now leads three-time defending champion Álex Palou, who was also his runner-up in this first event held on the streets of Arlington, Texas.

After finishing in the top 5 for the third consecutive race, Pato O’Ward sits fourth in the championship standings, behind Josef Newgarden, but ahead of the two other Team Penske drivers, Scott McLaughlin and David Malukas. On the podium at Arlington, Will Power is finally climbing back up the championship, now occupying twelfth position, after two difficult races in St. Petersburg and Phoenix. He crashed at the end of the race in Arlington. Romain Grosjean now sits in 21st place. Mick Schumacher He is still last in the championship.

The next event is on March 29th, with a race at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama.

ALSO READ > Kyle Kirkwood wins his fight against Palou and triumphs in Arlington

Indy Car 2026
Championship standings after Arlington (3/18)

1) Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global-Honda) – 126 pts
2) Álex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing-Honda) – 100 pts
3) Josef Newgarden (Team Penske-Chevrolet) – 93 pts
4) Pato O’Ward (Arrow McLaren-Chevrolet) – 93 pts
5) Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske-Chevrolet) – 85 pts
6) David Malukas (Team Penske-Chevrolet) – 84 pts
7) Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren-Chevrolet) – 80 pts
8) Marcus Ericsson (Andretti Global-Honda) – 77 pts
9) Marcus Armstrong (Meyer Shank Racing-Honda) – 70 pts
10) Alexander Rossi (ECR-Chevrolet) – 64 pts
11) Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing-Honda) – 59 pts
12) Will Power (Andretti Global-Honda) – 59 pts
13) Dennis Hauger (Dale Coyne Racing-Honda) – 50 pts
14) Felix Rosenqvist (Meyer Shank Racing-Honda) – 47 pts
15) Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing-Honda) – 46 pts
16) Kyffin Simpson (Chip Ganassi Racing-Honda) – 46 pts
17) Rinus VeeKay (Juncos Hollinger Racing-Chevrolet) – 46 pts
18) Caio Collet (AJ Foyt Racing-Chevrolet) – 42 pts
19) Louis Foster (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing-Honda) – 41 pts
20) Santino Ferrucci (AJ Foyt Racing-Chevrolet) – 38 pts
21) Romain Grosjean (Dale Coyne Racing-Honda) – 36 pts
22) Christian Rasmussen (ECR-Chevrolet) – 33 pts
23) Sting Ray Robb (Juncos Hollinger Racing-Chevrolet) – 27 pts
24) Nolan Siegel (Arrow McLaren-Chevrolet) – 26 pts
25) Mick Schumacher (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing-Honda) – 25 pts