Who is Will Power? The Driver With the Most Poles in IndyCar History, the Indianapolis 500

In American motorsport there is an expression used for the greats: generational driver. Will Power is a generational driver. But he is also something more: the man with the most poles in IndyCar history, the only driver to win the championship in two different decades, the Indianapolis 500 winner everyone had given up on, and at 45 years old the protagonist of one of the most impactful team changes in the category’s history: leaving Team Penske after 17 years to join Andretti Global.

William Steven Power was born on March 1 1981 in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Toowoomba is the second largest city in Queensland, located in the Tabletop Mountains about 130 kilometres west of Brisbane. It is known as the Garden City for its floral parks, a nickname that contrasts comically with the aggressive and determined character Power has shown on track for more than two decades. He grew up in a family passionate about motorsport and began his car racing career as a teenager in Australia.

1999-2005: Australia and the first championships

In 1999 at 18, Power won the Queensland Formula Ford Championship, his first single-seater title. It was the starting point of a career that would take him from the hills of Queensland to the street circuits of São Paulo, Long Beach and the straights of Indianapolis.

2006-2008: Champ Car and the North American leap

In 2006 Power crossed the Pacific and joined the Champ Car World Series with Team Australia. In 2007 he won his first Champ Car victory in Las Vegas. When Champ Car merged with IndyCar in 2008, Power made the transition to the unified championship with KV Racing Technology.

2009: The Penske call and the start of an era

The moment that changed Power’s trajectory came in 2009. Team Penske needed a substitute for the first race of the season in St. Petersburg while Hélio Castroneves was away dealing with legal issues. They called Power. He finished sixth. Penske had seen enough. They put Power in the number 12 car for Long Beach. Power took pole and finished second. By season’s end Roger Penske had announced that Power would be with the team full-time in 2010. It was the beginning of a 17-year partnership.

2010-2013: Road course dominance and championship near-misses

Power’s first full Penske season was immediately dominant: five victories, eight poles, championship runner-up. He also won the inaugural Mario Andretti Trophy as season road course champion. Over the following years Power was consistently the fastest qualifier in the championship, accumulating poles at a rate that began making history.

But the championship slipped away several times in frustrating circumstances. The infamous 2011 New Hampshire incident, when the race was restarted in wet conditions and Power ended up in a crash triggered by Danica Patrick spinning, led to Power exiting his car to confront race officials. The moment captured on national television, when Power expressed his frustration with an obscene gesture toward competition director Brian Barnhart, earned him a 30,000 dollar fine but also the eternal affection of fans who felt exactly the same way.

2014: The first championship

In 2014 Power finally claimed the title he had pursued for years. Three victories, four poles and impeccable championship management that earned the crown by 62 points over Hélio Castroneves.

2018: The Indy 500 and complete glory

On May 27 2018 Will Power won the Indianapolis 500. The most famous race in American motorsport, an event that many drivers chase for decades without achieving it. Power won it with brilliant strategy and the precision that defines him. He was 37 years old.

2022: The second championship and the Andretti record

2022 was another historic year. Power won his second IndyCar championship eight years after the first, becoming the only driver to win the title in two different decades. And that same year he surpassed Mario Andretti’s all-time IndyCar pole record, reaching 67 and continuing to 71 poles through the 2026 season. It is the greatest pole tally in IndyCar history, a number nobody else has remotely approached.

2025: Portland and the Penske farewell

In 2025 Power won at Portland in August, his final victory with Team Penske, finishing ninth in the championship. Then came the paddock-shaking news: on September 3 2025 it was confirmed that Will Power was leaving Team Penske after 17 years to join Andretti Global for 2026. Power’s reaction was honest: sometimes a change of scenery and a fresh start is very energising.

2026: Andretti Global and the new chapter

With Andretti Global Power drives the number 26 Honda alongside teammates Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson. The season opened with a retirement at St. Petersburg but was followed by a first podium at the Grand Prix of Arlington.

Key quotes and curiosities

Power on leaving Team Penske and starting with Andretti: sometimes a change of scenery and a fresh start is very energising.

Power on maintaining performance at 45: people put an age limit on it and expect drivers to start falling off at a certain age. I think if you set that in your head and stop working at it, you will plateau. For me it has a lot to do with attitude.

On the infamous New Hampshire 2011 gesture when asked if he would do anything differently: no.

Among the curiosities: Power’s obscene gesture toward competition director Brian Barnhart at New Hampshire 2011 became one of the most iconic moments in IndyCar history, receiving massive support from fans who felt the same way. Power calls it his Double Angry Birds. The 30,000 dollar fine was paid by Roger Penske. Power has played the drums since age 15 and considers it one of his main hobbies alongside cycling, swimming, weightlifting and rowing. And with 71 poles in IndyCar history, the next closest driver in that record is more than 30 poles behind.

Sources: Wikipedia Will Power English, IndyCar official indycar.com, Team Penske official teampenske.com, Newsweek, ESPN, IndyCar history, DriverDB