Will Power’s much-anticipated debut with Andretti Global took a disappointing turn on Sunday as the two-time IndyCar champion crashed out of the 2026 season opener at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The Australian driver was forced to retire after colliding with the barriers at Turn 10, abruptly ending his race and marking a frustrating start to his new chapter.
The crash mirrored an earlier incident during Practice 2 on Saturday, when Power locked up his front tires in damp conditions and slammed his No. 26 Honda nose-first into the same barrier. During the race, he suffered from a persistent front-locking issue that plagued him throughout the weekend, causing him to run wide at Turn 10. This resulted in contact with the barriers on both the right front and right rear, damaging the rear suspension beyond repair.
Mechanical Failures Force Premature Retirement
Despite managing to bring his car back to the pits, Will Power’s racing day ended shortly thereafter. The crew quickly assessed the damage and, after a brief attempt to send him back onto the track, decided to retire the vehicle. The damage to his right rear suspension proved irreparable in the moment, sealing the end of his race.
“Oh f***, I hit wall,” Power said on team radio. “Right rear suspension is bent.”
After exiting his car, Power met briefly with his pit crew before discussing the unfortunate situation with FOX pitlane reporter Kevin Lee. He expressed his deep frustration over the repeated problem that had denied him a competitive outing all weekend.
“Kind of like the same issue I had the other day when I hit the wall, exactly the same problem we’ve had,” said the Andretti Global driver. “Feel really bad for the guys. We were doing such a – The car was really good. It just plagued us all weekend, this thing, and haven’t been able to fix it for qualifying. Feel really bad.”
Comparisons to Previous Season’s Setbacks with the No. 26 Car
Power’s misfortune with the No. 26 Andretti Global Honda echoed challenges faced by his predecessor, Colton Herta, during last year’s Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Unlike Power’s technical issues, Herta’s troubles stemmed from a pit stop error that cost him valuable time and dashed his podium hopes.
Although Herta had a strong car that placed him among the front-runners, a slow and problematic pit stop pushed him from potential victory contention to a disappointing 16th-place finish.
“Remember this feeling. It sucks,” Herta said on team radio. “I don’t want to feel like this ever again. And I know you guys don’t too. I got your back though, as long as you got mine.”
This previous adversity underscores the challenges faced by the Andretti Global outfit at St. Petersburg, highlighting the pressure on both driver and team to overcome persistent obstacles.
Recurring Challenges Cloud the Start of Power’s Tenure with Andretti Global
Will Power’s exit from the 2026 St. Petersburg opener added to a pattern of difficulties, as he also retired from last year’s Grand Prix following a first-lap collision with Nolan Siegel. The repeated setbacks at this venue illustrate a troubling start for Power with Andretti Global, leaving many questions about how the team will resolve these issues moving forward.
With problems rooted in both technical faults and prior incidents, Power’s campaign demands swift solutions to realize the potential seen in his new partnership. As the season progresses, both the driver and crew will be eager to turn misfortune into competitive success, aiming to capitalize on each upcoming race.
