In an exciting turn of events, Tim Cindric is making his way back to Team Penske in 2026, stepping into the crucial role of race strategist for Scott McLaughlin. This announcement came from Team Penske on Thursday as they unveiled their strategic lineup for the upcoming IndyCar Series season.
Cindric, who previously held the position of president within the organization, will return to the timing stand, marking a significant comeback. Meanwhile, Jonathan Diuguid, the current president of Team Penske, will take charge of strategy for veteran driver Josef Newgarden. Additionally, Travis Law has been appointed to guide newcomer David Malukas through his transition into the team.
Expressing his enthusiasm about the 2026 lineup, Diuguid stated, "I am thrilled with our Team Penske lineup for the upcoming season in IndyCar. I’m eager to continue collaborating with Josef (Newgarden), as we have experienced significant success together in the past. I am confident that Travis Law will provide exceptional leadership to David (Malukas) as he integrates into Team Penske. Tim Cindric brings a wealth of experience to Scott’s (McLaughlin) timing stand, and given his extensive background with our organization, I believe he will be an invaluable asset on race day as our strategist."
He further added, "With our robust and seasoned engineering team, alongside our skilled technicians and partners, the No. 2, No. 3, and No. 12 entries from Team Penske are well-prepared. I am optimistic that we will be competing fiercely for victories throughout the highly competitive landscape of IndyCar, starting with the race in St. Petersburg."
It’s worth noting that just nine months prior, Cindric, along with Ron Ruzewski, the Managing Director of IndyCar, and Kyle Moyer, the General Manager, were dismissed by Roger Penske, the team owner and also the proprietor of the IndyCar series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Their termination occurred on May 12, 2025, following a scandal where two out of the three team entries failed technical inspections during qualifying for the prestigious 2025 Indianapolis 500. This incident involved illegal modifications to the rear attenuator on the cars driven by Newgarden and Will Power, marking yet another controversy for the team, following previous issues like the push-to-pass scandal that raised concerns over the integrity and fairness within the series.
These controversies prompted the establishment of an Independent Officiating Board, which, although funded by Penske, now includes members from the FIA and representatives appointed by other chartered teams, aiming to enhance oversight within the sport.
Unlike Ruzewski and Moyer, who secured new positions at Andretti Global and Arrow McLaren respectively, Cindric finds himself returning to familiar territory at Team Penske.
In addition to Cindric's return, there are significant changes to McLaughlin’s team setup, including Raul Prados stepping in as his new race engineer, while David Hunt takes over the spotter role from Adam Fournier.
What do you think about these changes at Team Penske? Are they setting themselves up for success with this revamped strategy team? Let us know your thoughts!
