INDYCAR: Chip Ganassi Racing signs Christian Lundgaard

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — After long speculation, Chip Ganassi Racing signs Christian Lundgaard to an NTT INDYCAR Series deal for 2027 and beyond.

Lundgaard essentially trades seats with Scott Dixon as he will drive the No. 9 PNC BANK Honda.

The 25-year-old Danish driver was the hottest free-agent on the block after he was shockingly left without a seat around the midseason mark.

In his five-year INDYCAR career so far, he has amassed three total victories. All of which were achieved on road or street courses. His best oval performance came during the penultimate weekend at Milwaukee where he placed on the podium from third.

2026 was a breakout year for him. The former Arrow McLaren standout finished second to his now teammate Alex Palou in the final standings and captured two victories in the process.

Ultimately his former team decided to go in a new direction to focus on the Indianapolis 500. Because of that, CGR adds another premier driver to their ranks.

“I see it as I swapped with Scott Dixon,” Lundgaard said. “I am now taking over Scott’s seat, not the other way around. I think this was a bigger opportunity for me than anything else.”

From there he summed the swap up with one line, “It’s big shoes to fill.”

“But at the end of the day, I feel like I’ve done what I needed to do to be able to be in that position, so I think everybody’s on board on what we need to do. We need to carry on that legacy. We need to do it better, which is going to be a tough task. But I’m all up for it.”

Championship Aspirations

Christian Lundgaard joins the most successful NTT INDYCAR Series team in its history. CGR is the perfect environment for Lundgaard to take the next step and he seems excited to learn from the now five-time champion Palou.

“Obviously, when you’re joining a team like Chip Ganassi, but also with Alex, who won, I guess, five out of the last six championships, it’s a driver that we’ve all been trying to beat for the last many years,” Lundgaard said.

“You only know from the outside. So I’m very interested in just picking his brain on what we can do to improve all of us. But I think it’s a strong team, and we can push each other.”

But, if the Dane wants to earn his first series championship he has to take it from his new teammate.

“We know what he’s capable of. But I also know he’s learned a lot from Scott, and to take over those shoes, driving the PNC car, that kind of is the guy that I always looked up to. It’s the guy that I knew. It’s the car that I knew.”

With his new access to the shared data and personnel he outlined his goal simply, “Outsmart him, outdo Alex,” Lundgaard concluded.

He will surely be one of the favorites to challenge Alex for the 2027 title. But first, Christian Lundgaard and his new No. 9 CGR team will hit the track for their first session together at Phoenix Raceway for the Unser INDYCAR Open Test on February, 23.