Will Power

Will Power
Will Power
Born	William Steven Power; March 1, 1981 (age 45); Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Occupation	Professional racing driver
Years active	1999–present
Known for	IndyCar Series driver, 2014 and 2022 IndyCar Champion, 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner

William Steven Power (born 1 March 1981) is an Australian professional racing driver currently competing in the IndyCar Series. He pilots the No. 12 Dallara-Chevrolet for Team Penske. Power claimed victory at the 2018 Indianapolis 500 and has secured the IndyCar Championship twice, in 2014 and 2022. He stands among the top performers in American open-wheel racing history, ranking fourth all-time in wins (44), first in pole positions (71), and fourth in podium finishes (107).

Australian racing

Originating from Toowoomba, Queensland, Power is the son of former open-wheel competitor Bob Power. His early racing began in Queensland behind the wheel of a Datsun 1200 at Morgan Park Raceway and Carnel Raceway. In 1999, he campaigned a family-owned Swift SC92F in the Queensland Formula Ford Championship, securing race victories despite a limited schedule. The following year, Power contested a full season, capturing his first Swift championship title while also competing in the Australian Formula Ford Championship with a late-model Spectrum 07, where he finished seventh overall. In 2001, driving a Stealth RF95, he improved to second place in the series standings, trailing only factory-supported driver Will Davison.

After three seasons in Formula Ford, Power advanced to Formula Holden with Graham Watson’s Ralt Australia outfit, piloting a Reynard 94D. He dominated the category by winning the 2002 Australian Drivers' Championship by more than 50 points over runner-up Stewart McColl, amassing seven victories and three pole positions.

Midway through 2002, Power joined Bevan Carrick’s Cooltemp Racing team for the Australian Formula 3 Championship, driving a Dallara-Toyota. Despite missing initial rounds, he narrowly finished second to James Manderson in the championship battle.

Racing in Europe

Power transitioned to European competition in 2003 by entering the British Formula 3 Championship. He began with Diamond Racing before switching to Fortec Motorsport, although financial constraints limited his campaign. A highlight included a runner-up finish at Thruxton. The following year, Power completed a full season with Alan Docking Racing, finishing ninth overall and securing five podium placements.

In 2004, he participated in testing a Minardi Formula One car in Italy alongside competitor Will Davison.

In 2005, Power raced in the World Series by Renault for Carlin Motorsport, achieving two wins, four podiums, and five front-row starts. Concurrently, he represented Australia during the 2005–06 A1 Grand Prix season, contributing to a second-place finish for A1 Team Australia at Brands Hatch behind A1 Team Brazil.

Champ Car

Toward the end of 2005, Power joined Champ Car's Team Australia for the Lexmark Indy 300 held in Surfers Paradise, Australia, concluding his World Series by Renault season where he ranked seventh overall. During the Indy 300 event, he was competitive until contact from teammate Alex Tagliani ended his race prematurely. Shortly thereafter, Power secured a multi-year deal with Team Australia and made his full-time Champ Car debut at the subsequent round in Mexico City following Marcus Marshall's release due to a "serious breach of contract."

In his first full Champ Car season in 2006 with Team Australia, Power recorded nine top-ten finishes alongside strong qualifying performances. He earned his maiden Champ Car podium at the season finale in Mexico and was honored as "rookie of the year," concluding sixth in the championship standings. At his home event in Surfers Paradise, he achieved his first pole position but finished twelfth after incidents involving Paul Tracy and Sébastien Bourdais caused damage to his car.

On 8 April 2007, Power secured his inaugural Champ Car victory at the debut Vegas Grand Prix on Las Vegas streets. Leading most laps from pole position, he became the first Australian to win in this series. Later that year on 8 July at the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto—held under heavy rain and poor visibility—Power aggressively advanced from fourth place to first within fourteen laps. He overtook rookie competitor Ryan Dalziel with approximately twenty-three minutes remaining to claim victory.

During that event, Power also passed three-time series champion Sébastien Bourdais and rookie Neel Jani, taking advantage of late caution periods. Describing his tactics as assertive yet calculated, he stated: "I was close behind Sebastien... I attacked him... then got Neel and Dalziel on restarts." Reflecting on overcoming previous setbacks, Power added: "The car was good in the wet. It was good in the dry, and we stuck it to them." Throughout 2007, Power also achieved podium finishes at Long Beach, Mont-Tremblant, and Mexico City along with pole positions at Houston, Edmonton, Surfers Paradise, and Mexico City, ultimately finishing fourth in the overall points standings.

2008 season

After the merger between Champ Car and the IRL, Power's Walker Racing squad did not transition to the IRL because of sponsorship complications. Subsequently, Power joined KV Racing Technology for the 2008 season, piloting the No. 8 Aussie Vineyards—Team Australia entry, thus continuing his association with Team Australia principal Craig Gore.

Power secured his first IndyCar Series triumph by winning the final Champ Car contest at Long Beach in 2008. He recorded two top-five finishes in IndyCar events and ended the year 12th in the standings, trailing teammate Oriol Servià. At the non-championship Surfers' Paradise race, Power earned pole position but crashed while leading.

2009 season

On 13 January 2009, Team Penske announced that Power would temporarily take over the No. 3 Honda-Dallara seat from Hélio Castroneves during Castroneves's legal proceedings. Power finished sixth in the opening race at St. Petersburg. After Castroneves was cleared, Power switched to Penske’s No. 12 Verizon Wireless Honda/Dallara starting from Long Beach, where he achieved pole position and finished second after leading for 16 laps.

Despite a pit stop mistake that cost him a potential victory over Castroneves, Power placed fifth at the Indianapolis 500. He continued with a five-race schedule for Penske at Toronto, Edmonton, Kentucky, Sonoma, and Homestead, supported by Penske's Rolex Sports Car Series crew. Power claimed his first official IndyCar victory at the 2009 Rexall Edmonton Indy.

Power’s season was cut short during Sonoma practice when he collided with a stalled car around a blind corner. He suffered two fractured vertebrae and a concussion; teammate Nelson Philippe sustained a fractured ankle and concussion as well. Both drivers missed the rest of the 2009 campaign due to their injuries.

2010 season

On 19 November 2009, Team Penske confirmed that Power would join their lineup full-time for the 2010 season backed by Verizon Wireless sponsorship. He dominated early in the year by winning the opening two races at Brazil and St. Petersburg, becoming the first driver since Sam Hornish Jr. in 2001 to win both initial events of an IndyCar season. Power also triumphed from pole position at Watkins Glen International, marking Roger Penske's inaugural IndyCar win at that venue. Throughout the year, he amassed five victories—all on road courses—and set a record with eight pole positions. His outstanding performance earned him the first-ever Mario Andretti Trophy as road course champion for the 2010 IndyCar Series season.

2011 season

During the 2011 IndyCar Series season, Power secured six wins at Barber Motorsports Park, São Paulo, Texas Motor Speedway (second race of doubleheader), Edmonton City Center Airport, Infineon Raceway, and the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix. His campaign featured significant incidents: in Toronto, a collision with championship leader Dario Franchitti caused a spin and contact with former teammate Alex Tagliani, generating controversy since Franchitti was not penalized. At New Hampshire Motor Speedway, amid debate over wet track conditions, a restart triggered a crash initiated by Danica Patrick; Power’s on-air angry reaction led to a $30,000 fine which team owner Roger Penske offered to cover.

Power earned pole position at Kentucky Speedway and led early before contact with rookie Ana Beatriz damaged his car, relegating him to 19th place while rival Franchitti gained crucial points. His season concluded when he was involved in a massive 15-car accident at Las Vegas that tragically claimed British driver Dan Wheldon’s life. Power was hospitalized with a vertebral compression fracture requiring surgery and lost championship contention due to race abandonment and vehicle damage.

2012 season

During the 2012 IndyCar Series season, Power rejoined Team Penske, piloting the No. 12 car alongside teammates Castroneves and Briscoe. The schedule, heavily weighted toward road and street circuits, played to Power's strengths, positioning him as a favorite before the season began. After starting seventh at St. Petersburg, he secured three straight victories at Barber Motorsports Park, Long Beach, and São Paulo, which propelled him to the top of the championship standings. Power held this lead until the tenth event when rival Ryan Hunter-Reay overtook him following a trio of consecutive wins. However, Power reclaimed the points advantage with two races remaining, building a 36-point cushion after strong runner-up finishes at Mid-Ohio and Sonoma, aided by Hunter-Reay encountering difficulties.

In the second-to-last race at Baltimore, varying tire choices amid wet track conditions enabled Hunter-Reay to claim victory while Power finished sixth, narrowing his lead to 17 points heading into the MAVTV 500 finale at Auto Club Speedway. Power’s championship bid was hindered when he spun and collided with the wall on lap 55. Despite significant damage, Team Penske managed to repair his car sufficiently to gain an extra position, setting a scenario where Hunter-Reay needed to finish fifth or better to secure the title. Hunter-Reay advanced into the top five late in the race and ultimately finished fourth, winning the championship and leaving Power second in the standings for the third consecutive year. Additionally, Power earned his third Mario Andretti Trophy as the road course champion for 2012.

2013 season

Power’s campaign in 2013 got off to a sluggish start. A collision under caution at St. Petersburg relegated him to a 16th-place finish. He improved to fifth at Barber but suffered engine failure and a fire in São Paulo. Although competitive at Indianapolis, he was not among the frontrunners. A multi-car accident in Detroit left him still positioned within the top ten of the points standings. His performance picked up after Mid-Ohio; at Sonoma, following Scott Dixon’s drive-through penalty for striking a crew member, Power led for 12 laps en route to his first victory of the year.

Additional clashes with Dixon occurred in Baltimore; on Saturday in Houston, a slow pit stop cost Power a chance to defeat Dixon, who ultimately prevailed. On Sunday, Power dominated the race to avenge that earlier loss, though Dario Franchitti’s last-lap crash overshadowed his triumph. Closing out 2013 strongly, Power won three of the final five events and concluded the season fourth in the overall championship.

2014 season

Power began the 2014 season by winning the opener at St. Petersburg after overtaking pole-sitter Takuma Sato on lap 31. Controversy emerged with 28 laps remaining when Power appeared to reduce his pace intentionally, bunching up the field and resulting in Jack Hawksworth crashing into Marco Andretti.

At Long Beach, following a disagreement with Simon Pagenaud, he finished second behind Mike Conway. Errors at Barber combined with a pit lane penalty during the Grand Prix of Indianapolis cost him possible victories. In the Indianapolis 500, he played only a minor role competitively. Power triumphed in the first Detroit race after battling Graham Rahal, while his teammate won the second event there. A pit lane penalty at Texas denied him a podium finish; nevertheless, he recovered to secure second place.

Power placed ninth at Fontana and went on to capture his first IndyCar championship title by finishing 62 points ahead of Hélio Castroneves. His emotional reaction on the podium was widely noted.

2015 season

During the 2015 IndyCar campaign, Power encountered numerous difficulties yet managed to secure third place in the overall standings despite several incidents, including being eliminated through no fault of his own on back-to-back oval races. He showcased his pace by clinching pole position for the double-points finale at Sonoma, where he set a new lap record of 1:16.2597, averaging . A victory at Sonoma would have propelled him ahead of the eventual champion Scott Dixon, but a collision with teammate Juan Pablo Montoya dashed his championship aspirations.

Power's strengths have largely been evident on road and street circuits, where his qualifying and race performances stand out. Although he captured the second race at Texas Motor Speedway, his relatively few oval wins limited his earlier championship pursuits. By 2014, he had secured three oval victories across various track types and amassed 19 wins on road courses—divided into ten on street circuits and nine on traditional road courses, including two triumphs at Edmonton's unique airport layout. With increased oval experience by 2015, Power narrowly missed out on winning the 2015 Indianapolis 500 in his eighth attempt, finishing just behind teammate Montoya.

2016 season

Power was absent from the season-opening race in St. Petersburg due to suspected concussion symptoms following a practice crash, which were later diagnosed as an ear or sinus infection. Despite this setback, he finished second in the championship standings behind teammate Simon Pagenaud, achieving four wins at Detroit (Belle Isle), Road America, Toronto, and Pocono.

2017 season

In 2017, Power's results declined compared to the previous year; he ended the season fifth in points with three victories at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, Texas, and Pocono. Nevertheless, he improved his qualifying performance significantly, earning five poles compared to only one in 2016.

2018 season

Power returned to championship contention during 2018. After experiencing early retirements at Phoenix and Birmingham, he captured victory at the 2018 IndyCar Grand Prix, marking Team Penske's 200th win in the series. He also triumphed in the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 and won a race at Gateway. However, a late-season crash at Portland ended his hopes of securing the title.

2019 season

Although Power began 2019 slowly, he regained momentum by winning races at Pocono Raceway and the Grand Prix of Portland, extending his streak of winning at least one IndyCar race each year to ten consecutive seasons.

2020 season

Returning to Team Penske for a season shortened by the pandemic, Power started off gradually but eventually claimed victories at the Honda Indy 200 held at Mid-Ohio and at the Harvest Grand Prix. This continued his record of winning an IndyCar race every year for eleven straight seasons. He also secured pole position at St. Petersburg but retired from that race.

2021 season

Following Helio Castroneves' move to Meyer Shank Racing, Power became Team Penske's longest-serving IndyCar driver. The 2021 season presented challenges for both Power and Penske despite delivering his strongest season opener since 2015 and signing a contract extension through 2023. Adjustments such as adopting a more aggressive driving approach and changes within his crew chief team contributed to inconsistent outcomes. At the 105th Indianapolis 500, Power qualified narrowly in 32nd place—his lowest starting spot ever and the poorest among Penske drivers that year.

Controversy unfolded during the Detroit event when Power led most of the race but finished twentieth after his car’s ECU overheated during a red flag restart, costing him victory—a situation he openly blamed on IndyCar officials. At the Nashville race, Power was involved in several incidents with teammates Simon Pagenaud and Scott McLaughlin, one of which resulted in a red flag stoppage.

Power broke a 315-day winless stretch by capturing victory at the second IMS Road Course round, delivering Roger Penske’s first win at that venue since acquiring it. He also earned his first pole position of the season at Gateway, bringing him within four poles of Mario Andretti’s all-time IndyCar record. Power finished ninth overall in the championship standings.

2022 season

Following a difficult 2021, Power demonstrated a significant resurgence during the 2022 campaign. He consistently placed within the top five in the opening five events and secured his only triumph at the concluding Detroit Grand Prix held on Belle Isle, overcoming earlier challenges. Throughout the season, Power achieved five pole positions, notably earning a rare double pole during the Iowa doubleheader, which allowed him to surpass Mario Andretti's record for the most poles in IndyCar history. Heading into the season's final race at Laguna Seca, Power maintained a 20-point advantage over rivals Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon, requiring a finish within the top three to secure the championship. Ultimately, he claimed victory in the 2022 Astor Cup and captured the IndyCar Series championship.

2023 season

The 2023 season represented Power's most challenging year to date, as he managed only three podium finishes and saw his streak of sixteen consecutive seasons with at least one race win come to an end.

2024 season

In 2024, Power rebounded by achieving three runner-up finishes within the first five points-paying races. Following the Indianapolis 500, he notched three victories: breaking a two-year winless spell at Road America, securing his first oval win since 2019 at Iowa, and adding a third triumph in Portland. Throughout the season, Power emerged as a leading contender alongside Alex Palou for the championship title but ultimately concluded the series in fourth place after Nashville.

2025 season

During the 2025 Indianapolis 500, Power and teammate Josef Newgarden became embroiled in controversy when their vehicles were discovered to have illegally modified attenuators during the Fast 12 qualifying session. Both drivers were penalized by being relegated to start from the rear of the grid—Power occupying the last position—and lost their qualification points along with incurring fines totaling $100,000. Several senior executives at Team Penske faced suspensions and were subsequently dismissed due to this breach.

Power finished in 19th place, later elevated to 16th following penalties assessed to other competitors. He was notably the sole Penske driver to complete the race; teammate Scott McLaughlin crashed during parade laps, while Newgarden retired because of mechanical failure.

Sports car racing

Power planned to make his sports car racing debut in 2023 by joining SunEnergy1 Racing for the 24 Hours of Daytona. Nevertheless, he withdrew two weeks prior to the event to support his wife during her recovery from surgical complications and was replaced by Luca Stolz.

Personal life

Damien Power, Will’s brother, is known for his career as a stand-up comedian. Outside of racing, Will Power enjoys playing drums and frequently performs at charity events associated with IndyCar.

Power married Liz Cannon in 2010; they met during his time competing in CART when she was employed by Walker Racing. The couple welcomed their son in December 2016.

In popular culture

Power provided the voice for an Australian news anchor character in the 2013 animated movie Turbo.

Career summary

Season	Series	Team	Races	Wins	Poles	F/Laps	Podiums	Points	Position
1998	Australian Formula Ford Championship	Robert Power	4	0	0	?	1	15	19th
1999	Australian Formula Ford Championship	Robert Power	2	0	0	?	0	8	18th
2000	Australian Formula Ford Championship	Robert Power	16	0	0	?	2	94	7th
2000	Queensland Formula Ford Championship	Robert Power	12	5	3	?	12	210	1st
2001	Australian Formula Ford Championship	Robert Power	15	5	4	7	10	210	2nd
2002	Australian Drivers' Championship	Ralt Australia	12	7	2	8	11	197	1st
	Australian Formula 3 Championship	Cooltemp Pty Ltd	12	6	6	4	10	204	2nd

† As a guest driver, Power was not eligible to earn points.

‡ Reflects team championship standings.

Full British Formula 3 International Series results

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Full Formula Renault 3.5 Series results

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American open-wheel racing statistics

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Champ Car

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IndyCar Series

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Indianapolis 500

Year	Chassis	Engine	Grid position	Final result	Racing team
2008	Dallara	Honda	23	13	KV Racing Technology
2009		Honda	9	5	Team Penske
2010			2	8
2011			5	14
2012		Chevrolet	5	28
2013			6	19
2014			3	8
2015			2	2
2016			6	10
2017			9	23
2018			3	1
2019			6	5
2020			22	14
2021			32	30
2022			11	15
2023			12	23
2024			2	24
2025			33	16

Full V8 Supercar Championship results

Season	Racing team	Final standing	Points scored
2002 V8 Supercar Championship Series	Larkham Motor Sport	46th	82
2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series	Prodrive Racing Australia	NC	0 †
2012 International V8 Supercars Championship	Prodrive Racing Australia	NC	0 †

† Ineligible to earn points

Full Bathurst 1000 Race Results

Year	Team	Vehicle	Co-driver	Final Standing	Completed Laps
2002	Larkham Motor Sport	Ford AU Falcon	Template:Country data AUS Template:Namespace detect showall Mark Larkham	18th place	157 laps

External links