Andretti Global Looks to Defend Dual Victories in Detroit
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone return to street course action this weekend on the Streets of Detroit, taking on the 1.645-mile, nine-turn circuit in the heart of the Motor City. Defending winners enter the weekend with momentum on their side, as Kyle Kirkwood looks to repeat his victory in last year’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, while the Andretti INDY NXT program returns to Detroit as the reigning race-winning team. For INDY NXT by Firestone, the Detroit weekend also marks a return to competition for the first time since the Indianapolis Grand Prix earlier this month, setting the stage for another intense battle on the streets.
Race Details
| Detroit Grand Prix – Streets of Detroit |
| Round | 8/18 |
| Track Type | Street Course |
| Turns | 9 |
| Laps | 100 |
| Track Length | 1.645 Miles |
| Detroit Grand Prix – Streets of Detroit |
| Round | 7/17 |
| Track Type | Street Course |
| Turns | 9 |
| Laps | 45 |
| Track Length | 1.645 Miles |
Fast Facts
INDYCAR
- Now in its fourth year on Detroit’s downtown street circuit, Andretti Global’s INDYCAR team has secured one win (Kirkwood – 2025), two poles (C. Herta – 2024 + 2025), three podiums (Ericsson – 2024, Kirkwood – 2025 and C. Herta – 2025) five top-10 finishes and 117 laps led over the past three seasons.
Will Power
- This weekend marks Will Power’s fourth appearance on the Streets of Detroit where he has finished outside the top five only once, recorded one podium and led 15 laps. Prior to the event’s move to Downtown Detroit, Power found success at Belle Isle, where he earned three wins, seven podiums and led 142 laps on the temporary street circuit.
- Starting eighth on the Streets of Detroit last year, Power worked his way up the field and reached fourth before his first pit stop on Lap 12. He spent the closing stages of the race battling Colton Herta and running behind Kyle Kirkwood. Two late cautions limited Power’s ability to advance, and the Australian ultimately took the checkered in fourth.
Kyle Kirkwood
- Following his first Detroit victory last season, Kyle Kirkwood returns to the Streets of Detroit looking to add to a strong record that includes one win, two top fives and 73 laps led on the downtown layout.
- During the 2025 Detroit race, Kirkwood started from the second row and moved into the lead by Lap 39. After briefly cycling back following a yellow flag pit stop on Lap 71, he reclaimed the lead by Lap 79 despite front wing damage from a Lap 78 pass attempt. He led 48 laps, recorded the fastest leader lap (1:02.431) and won by 3.5 seconds for his fourth career INDYCAR victory at the time.
Marcus Ericsson
- In his three appearances on the Streets of Detroit, Marcus Ericsson has one podium, seven laps led and only one finish outside the top 10. Like his teammate Power, the Swede also found success at Belle Isle with his first series podium in 2019 and his maiden INDYCAR win in 2021.
- After qualifying outside the top 10 last year in Detroit, Ericsson climbed as high as third and battled for a podium. A slow pit stop on Lap 45 and untimely yellows dropped the Swede to the back of the field. Ericsson was able to work his way forward to finish 13th.
- Andretti recently announced that longtime partner Siemens, a global technology powerhouse, will return as the primary partner for the No. 28 Siemens Honda piloted by Marcus Ericsson at the Detroit Grand Prix.
| Andretti INDYCAR Championship Standings |
| Will Power | 112 points | 17th |
| Kyle Kirkwood | 224 points | 3rd |
| Marcus Ericsson | 129 points | 12th |
INDY NXT
- The Andretti Global INDY NXT team will take on the Streets of Detroit for Round 7 of the 2026 INDY NXT by Firestone season. This will be the team’s third appearance on the downtown Detroit street course configuration, where they have collected two wins (Foster – 2024 and Hauger – 2025), one additional podium finish (Foster – 2023 R2) four pole positions (Foster – 2023 R1 & R2, 2024 and Hauger – 2025), 10 total top-10 finishes and 96 laps led.
Lochie Hughes
- Lochie Hughes will make his second career INDY NXT start this weekend on the Streets of Detroit, after starting on the front row and securing a top-five finish last year.
Seb Murray
- Making his second INDY NXT race start at the Detroit Grand Prix this weekend, Seb Murray will look to build off last year’s performance, where he made an impressive jump up the field, driving from 12th to sixth place to secure a top-10 finish.
Max Taylor
- Currently running third in the INDY NXT Championship standings, Max Taylor will return to the Streets of Detroit for the second time in INDY NXT. Last year, the American driver qualified strongly in third but contact with a competitor on Lap 1 unfortunately cut his Detroit debut short.
Josh Pierson
- As the Andretti INDY NXT driver with the most Detroit racing experience, Josh Pierson will make his third race start on the downtown circuit after driving from 14th to eighth in his debut and capturing a top-five finish last year.
| Andretti INDY NXT Driver Championship Standings |
| Lochie Hughes | 167 points | 5th |
| Seb Murray | 118 points | 10th |
| Max Taylor | 217 points | 3rd |
| Josh Pierson | 107 points | 11th |
INDYCAR Team Quotes
Will Power
No. 26 TWG AI Honda
“I’m looking forward to getting back to street course racing this weekend. Detroit has always been a place I’ve enjoyed racing, going back to Belle Isle, and I’ve had some success on the downtown circuit too. Even though it’s still a fairly new track for everyone, it’s a fun challenge. I was close to a podium finish last year, so I’m confident the TWG AI crew and I can get to the top step this weekend.”
Kyle Kirkwood
No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda
“As the defending winner, we’re excited to get back to the Streets of Detroit this weekend. It’s been one of our better tracks based on pace, so that gives us confidence going into the race. I’m looking forward to getting back on track and hopefully fighting for another win this weekend.”
Marcus Ericsson
No. 28 Siemens Honda
“I’m excited to get to Detroit. It’s been one of my best races over the years in INDYCAR, even with the two different layouts we’ve raced there. I’ve had great success there with my first INDYCAR win on Belle Isle and a couple of podiums as well. It’s always been a track and a city I’ve enjoyed. Obviously, at Andretti we enjoy the street courses, and I’ve always liked them too, so I’m looking forward to having a strong weekend with the Siemens Honda.”
Ron Ruzewski
Team Principal
“The Month of May is over and now we get into the heart of the season. This weekend, we head back to the tight and twisty Streets of Detroit. The circuit is technical and bumpy, but rewarding when you get it right. Kyle, Marcus and Will have all had success in Detroit and are ready for the challenge once again. There’s no better way to build momentum than with a strong showing this weekend. The weather looks great and we’re looking forward to another great event.”
INDY NXT Team Quotes
Lochie Hughes
No. 26 Andretti Global Dallara
“I’m excited to be heading back to Detroit this weekend. Street circuits are probably my favorite type of track we race on, and we had great pace last year at this one specifically. Looking forward to getting back on track after the long break!
Seb Murray
No. 27 Megatron Dallara
“I’m really looking forward to the race weekend in Detroit. It’s Megatron’s home race, so hopefully we can put on a good show for them. I was quite fast there last year, and I love the thrill of the circuit being so close to all the walls. It’s such a high-speed, intense race, so qualifying is going to be crucial to set ourselves up for a good race.”
Max Taylor
No. 28 Susan G. Komen Dallara
“I can’t wait to get back on a street course this weekend and carry our good momentum into the race. I’m confident in our speed heading into the weekend, and I know what I need to execute to improve and put together strong results.”
Josh Pierson
No. 29 Starchive Dallara
“Detroit is a track I managed well last year, so I’m excited to get on track again and see my progress. I’m also hoping for some redemption after a couple of difficult weekends recently. I want to give my No. 29 crew the results they deserve. It’s going to be challenging in a field this competitive, but I’m confident in the Andretti team and the people around me.”
Don Lambert
Team Principal
“Andretti INDY NXT is ready to get back on track with some downtown Detroit street racing action. Although this circuit is one of our tougher street courses to master, we have had some very good races and results here as a team in the past. With the work everyone has put in to prepare, I feel confident that the drivers and team will be ready to execute this weekend.”
