INDYCAR rookies show worth around the Markham Street Circuit

Jeffrey Hrunka - INDYCAR Contributor

Casey Shepherd (Motorsports Today, 2026)

Winning changes everything.

It’s widely known in motorsports that to continue racing at the next level, you need significant sponsorship or results. For all three rookies on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES grid this season, this couldn’t be more true as all three are left unsigned with less than a month left in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.

“I would love top be on the grid again next year, but obviously it will depend on the next couple of races especially,” Caio Collet, driver of the No.4 A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet, said. “Well, just need to be able to perform well.”

Results and misfortune have plagued these drivers all season, as they have taken Dennis Hauger, driver of the No. 19 Dale Coyne Racing Honda, and Collet out of contention for good results in many races. For Mick Schumacher, driver of the No.47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda, it’s been a struggle to find consistent speed.

Collet prefaces racecraft as the critical attribute teams are looking for.

“First, if you’re quick, and second, if you can finish the race, it’s very important,” Collet said in the media bullpen on Friday. “I think this has been my weak point.”

Luckily, the benefit this trio has over the rest of the field is extra practice time at every racetrack this season. This is especially prevalent in getting additional seat time at new circuits like Markham, for an advantage over the rest of the field.

It’s safe to say that additional track time has already done wonders.

In the INDYCAR's opening practice session on Saturday morning, Collet and Hauger found themselves inside the Top-10, with Collet timing five-hundredths behind leader Palou for second. Hauger timed 10th, with Schumacher as far back as 13th.

They only improved in second practice, where all three drivers timed inside the Top-9, with Schumacher running the fastest lap of the three with a 1:14.308s lap time for fifth. Hauger and Collet settled for eighth (1:14.592s) and ninth (1:14.601s) in the session, respectively.

Qualifying is when things took a turn for all three drivers.

Collet found himself out of the race first with an engine issue, while Schumacher and Hauger advanced to the second round of qualifying. Schumacher missed the Firestone Fast Six for an eleventh-place starting spot, with Hauger being the only driver to advance to the final round of qualifying for fifth.

All three drivers need strong showings at Markham to cement their silly season conversations into a definitive seat for next season.

“When we're in smaller teams it’s hard to show yourself on the top every time, but when you have the opportunity to show something you need to make it happen,” Hauger said in the media bullpen on Friday. “I wish I could have shown more at times.”

NTT INDYCAR SERIES action returns to the Street of Markham for the Ontario Honda Dealer INDY Markham on Sunday at 12:00 pm EST on FOX.