Romain Grosjean is heading back to the future by returning to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2026 with Dale Coyne Racing, the team with which he made his successful series debut in 2021.

Grosjean will drive the No. 18 Honda for DCR, which also announced Feb. 13 a partnership with global financial brands OnlyBulls and Bitcoin MAX for the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Former Formula One driver Grosjean has been named the first global brand ambassador for Bitcoin MAX.

The appointment of Grosjean (top photo, right) completes the expected starting grid for the 2026 season, which begins Sunday, March 1 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida (noon ET, FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). Rookie Dennis Hauger, the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone champion, will be Grosjean’s teammate in the No. 19 Honda.

“Pairing an exceptional rookie in Dennis with a proven veteran like Romain gives us a strong competitive foundation,” said team owner Dale Coyne (top photo, left). “Bringing back key pieces of our history while building new global partnerships positions us well for 2026.”

Grosjean (photo, below) earned his first career NTT P1 Award and two podium finishes during his sole previous season with DCR as a series rookie in 2021. He then moved to Andretti Global for the 2022-23 seasons and drove for Juncos Hollinger Racing in 2024. Grosjean, a veteran of 179 F1 starts from 2009-20, competed in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship last season.

Romain Grosjean

The new partnership for DCR coincides with the global launch of OnlyBulls, a next-generation finance super app, and Bitcoin MAX, a Swiss-based Bitcoin trust launching next month. Bitcoin MAX is structured to enable holders to spend the value of their crypto more easily and leverage bitcoins potential.

In other DCR news announced today, veteran engineer Bill Pappas (top photo, right) has returned to the organization. Pappas was instrumental in delivering Dale Coyne Racing’s first INDYCAR SERIES victory and first oval win with driver Justin Wilson, milestones that helped establish the team as a consistent competitor in the series.