Mission Grand Prix of Monterey Honda Message Points

Monterey, CA
Sunday, September 6, 2026 11:30 AM PT / 2:30 PM ET
Live on Fox

What to Watch for at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

• The 1: Honda has already wrapped up two NTT INDYCAR SERIES championships going into the final race of the season-clinching both the manufacturers' and drivers' titles last time out at Milwaukee. The manufacturers' championship is Honda's 12th and comes 30 years after the company's first title in 1996. The title is bolstered by 10 victories and 13 pole positions in 17 races-six of those wins coming from newly-minted five-time champion Alex Palou. Palou clinched an impressive fourth consecutive IndyCar championship on Sunday in Milwaukee, and his fifth title in six years. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver now sits third on the all-time list at just 29 years old.
• Two is better than one: Although the championship has been clinched by Palou, the battle for second place is wide open-and Honda has the opportunity to take both first and second in the drivers' title fight. Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood currently sits third, just two points behind second place. Kirkwood has two wins thus far this season, at two of the three inaugural races in 2026, the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington and the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington DC. The American driver also has an impressive 14 top-10 finishes in 17 races this year as he looks to claim his best championship finishing position in his IndyCar career.
• Only the young: The final title of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES still at stake is the rookie of the year honors. With three drivers eligible for the honors, Honda drivers sit 1-2 in that championship fight, with Dale Coyne Racing's Dennis Hauger leading Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Mick Schumacher 223-205. Honda-powered rookies have won 12 of the 14 Rookie of the Year titles since the return of multi-manufacturer competition in 2012 and both Hauger and Schumacher will be looking to add their names to that list and score the brand's fifth-consecutive rookie of the year title.
• How did it end?: The Mission Grand Prix of Monterey is the final race of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, a season where Honda went back-to-back in winning the drivers' and manufacturers' championship titles, as well as the Indianapolis 500. Honda-powered teams and drivers have found victory lane on 10 occasions this season and on all four of IndyCar's track types, road courses, superspeedways, short ovals and, most notably, on street circuits. Honda swept all six street circuit races in 2026, claiming 15 of 18 possible podium positions and leading more than 90% of street circuit laps. All five Honda-powered teams have both led laps and scored a podium finish on street circuits this year. But, the good results haven't just come on the streets, Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing scored Honda's 17th Indianapolis 500 victory in May. Honda has won every race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca since the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returned to the track in 2019. Alex Palou has three wins (2022, 2024, 2025), Colton Herta two (2019, 2021), and Scott Dixon found victory lane in 2023. Honda-powered drivers will be looking to end the season on a high and add to that impressive streak.
• Forever & always: This weekend's race will also honor one of Honda's previous champions in American Open Wheel competition, Alex Zanardi. Zanardi won the 1997 and 1998 championships with Chip Ganassi Racing and Honda and famously scored Honda's first win at Laguna Seca via 'The Pass' in 1996. This weekend, champion Alex Palou will sport a tribute livery to the Italian racer at the track that made him a legend. While Zanardi was the first Honda-powered winner at Laguna, he was not the only one. Zanardi's Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Jimmy Vasser claimed the win in 1997, while Helio Castroneves led a 1-2-3 Honda sweep at Laguna Seca in 2000.

2026 Honda IndyCar Lineup

C-Series Champion I-Indianapolis 500 winner W-Race Winner R-Series Rookie

Where to Watch the Mission Grand Prix of Monterey

• Television coverage of Sunday's Mission Grand Prix of Monterey from WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will air at 11:30 AM PT / 2:30 PM ET on Fox. Complete, flag-to-flag race coverage will be available on the INDYCAR Radio Network, and SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation (Channel 160).
• Practice and qualifying across the weekend can be found on FS2.

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