INDEPENDENT OFFICIATING STRUCTURE TO LAUNCH IN INDYCAR FOR 2026
Beginning in 2026, INDYCAR will introduce a new independent system to handle officiating for both the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone. The organization created for this purpose is called INDYCAR Officiating Inc., a not-for-profit group led by a three-person Independent Officiating Board.
This board will oversee all major decisions related to race control, technical inspections, and rule enforcement, ensuring these responsibilities are carried out without outside influence.
The Independent Officiating Board, selected this week, will hire a Managing Director of Officiating. This director will be responsible for running race control, supervising technical inspections, and enforcing the rulebooks for both series.
They will report only to the board, giving the position full independence from teams, series management, and other interests. More information about the structure and the person chosen for the director role will be announced in early 2026.
Two members of the board were chosen by INDYCAR charter team owners: Ray Evernham, a championship-winning NASCAR crew chief and long-time figure in American motorsport, and Raj Nair, an automotive executive with extensive technical and compliance experience, including oversight of Ford’s global motorsport programs. The third member, Ronan Morgan, was appointed by the FIA.
Morgan brings more than five decades of international motorsport experience, including work as chairman of the stewards for over 100 global events and as the former sporting manager of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
This new officiating model is designed to strengthen fairness and transparency in INDYCAR, giving race operations and rule enforcement greater independence as the sport moves into the 2026 season and beyond.
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