The Detroit Grand Prix has arrived, marking the eighth race of the 2026 IndyCar schedule.
The 2026 Detroit Grand Prix runs from Friday, May 29, until the main event on Sunday, May 31, in Detroit. The Sunday IndyCar series race will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET (Fox), with the Indy NXT race taking place earlier in the day and the Sports Car Classic taking place on Saturday.
The Grand Prix comes one week after a scintillating Indianapolis 500, one that saw Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist take his first win of the season in the closest finish in Indy 500 history. Rosenqvist is looking for his second podium at the Grand Prix, after finishing third in the 2023 running.
Though Rosenqvist is the man of the moment in the IndyCar world, there are several other storylines to follow with this year’s race.
Here are five of the biggest things to keep track of at the 2026 Detroit Grand Prix.
Will Álex Palou continue his domination?
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Álex Palou remains the top driver in the NTT IndyCar series, and he has shown no signs of slowing down.
The back-to-back-to-back champion has already won three races before the halfway point of the season and maintains a commanding lead in the overall standings despite a seventh-place finish at Indy. It’s worth noting that he led that race for 59 laps, however, and his 268 laps led overall this year more than double those of second-place David Malukas (130).
If you had to put money on one driver to win in Detroit, it would probably be Palou, for two reasons. One, because he has already tasted victory in Detroit, winning the 2023 race in its return downtown. And two, because Palou should probably be the favorite in nearly every race he competes in.
Can David Malukas finally break through?
David Malukas, the Team Penske driver, has heard the phrase “second place” a lot recently, finishing second at the Sonsio Grand Prix in Indianapolis and second at Indy two weeks later. That finish in Indy came just 0.0233 seconds behind Rosenqvist as Malukas currently sits – you guessed it – second in the standings.
And while five drivers have claimed wins this season, with four of them sitting below Malukas in the overall standings, the 24-year-old from Chicago is still searching for his first career win. He has had top-seven finishes in seven of eight races this season (save for the first at the Grand Prix in St. Petersburg, Florida), and more than any other driver, he is due for a top spot on the podium.
Will Kyle Kirkwood repeat?
Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood had a fascinating turn at the 2025 Detroit Grand Prix, getting into an altercation with Will Power during the Friday practice laps, finishing P1, finishing third in qualifying and winning the whole thing anyway.
Kirkwood, who is currently third in the overall standings, is looking to become the first driver to win in Detroit in back-to-back years since Sebastien Bourdais achieved that feat in 2015 and 2016. But he will have plenty of competition for that title, since the tight boundaries of the downtown track often leads to chaos throughout the race.
Can Scott Dixon add to his record tally?
The veteran Scott Dixon is the active leader in championships (six) and the all-time leader in Detroit Grand Prix wins (four). And he hasn’t lost a step, either, winning the Grand Prix in 2024 and finishing third in the overall standings in 2025.
The No. 9 driver is, fittingly, ninth in the standings and searching for his first win of the season. Can he extend his record with a fifth win in Detroit?
What will the weather bring on Sunday?
Per Accuweather, the Sunday forecast in Detroit calls for sun, a high of 75 degrees and a 0% chance of precipitation. That’s great news for everyone involved, since rain has caused issues on the track as recently as 2024, which featured a seven-car pileup seconds into the race. A dry track should help bring safer conditions for the drivers.
But as any Michigander can tell you, the weather in Detroit can turn on a dime.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 5 things to watch at the IndyCar 2026 Detroit Grand Prix
Reporting by Christian Romo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
