Will Power praises Andretti team chemistry as 2027 lineup locks in

Will Power has heaped high praise on the working relationship built with Andretti Global teammates Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson during his first season with the organization in 2026.

Following the team’s decision to renew Ericsson’s contract for 2027, announced earlier this week, the two-time IndyCar Series champion expressed relief and excitement for the future. Kirkwood, currently third in the championship, signed a multi-year extension before the season.

“It is important,” Power said, regarding the value of team chemistry. “I was really happy to hear that [Ericsson’s renewal]. I have really enjoyed this year because Kyle and Marcus are so good to work with. It’s been a great atmosphere. It would have been a pity not to continue that, so really excited that we’re all together again next year.”

Despite results not always reflecting their speed, Power remains confident in the trajectory of the program.

“I think we all feel like we’re going to have a great year (in 2027),” Power added. “We have made big gains this year in many areas, whether it’s pit stops, whether it’s car builds, whether it’s road courses, ovals. It’s all been good stuff. We’ve all contributed. It was very nice to hear that.”

Power’s inaugural campaign with Andretti follows a landmark 17-season tenure with Team Penske. Power sits 14th in the standings with four top-10 finishes from 12 races, although that record has not always reflected his underlying pace. Beyond pure lap times, Power has brought invaluable experience from one of IndyCar’s modern powerhouses.

“You spend so many years in these cars, you have a pretty good idea of where you need to be,” Power said. “Every team has different philosophies. It’s such a competitive environment now that it’s going to be very specific for every track.

“We certainly made some big changes oval-wise and road course-wise (compared to) where they [Andretti] were running last year. It’s all been good. It’s just good to have someone from the outside that has been around another team for a long time. We combined our ideas together and come up with really good stuff. It’s a great team. It really is. Really good people. A great working atmosphere, actually. I find it to be very fun in the engineering office, (with) teammates.”

Will Power, Andretti Global

Photo by: Brandon Badraoui / Lumen via Getty Images

The attention is now on Portland International Raceway this weekend, serving as a benchmark for Andretti’s road course progress. During last season’s visit to the Pacific Northwest, Colton Herta led the team in 10th place, while Kirkwood and Ericsson both finished a lap down. Ericsson served as the team’s top qualifier in 11th.

Early signs this weekend indicate progress. Kirkwood ended opening practice second overall after setting the fastest lap on the alternate tire compound, while Power finished fourth and Ericsson 12th. However, Power noted that track conditions made evaluating setup balance tricky.

“It was a strange, strange session because it actually got slower on a quicker tire,” said Power, who won the past two Portland races during his time with Penske. “I think what happens is the Indy NXT rubber gets taken off [the track] as you go along; the Indy NXT rubber is quite soft and good.

“So it’s sort of hard to truly know where we stack up. We certainly were not where we needed to be on the hard compound. We were way off. Definitely have to think about it tonight and see what we need to do to get closer to the mark.”

Although Andretti still needs to find pace on the primary tyre, Power takes confidence from having team-mates whose feedback he trusts.

“When you have a teammate that’s really quick – because you have a very good reference, you look at everything,” Power said. “I really trust what Kyle’s feedback is. His feedback is very accurate. Definitely good to have a teammate like that.”

We want your opinion!

– The Motorsport.com Team

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: motorsport.com