Chip Ganassi Racing signs Alessandro de Tullio to 2027 INDY NXT seat; INDYCAR reserve driver role

INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 11, 2026) – Chip Ganassi Racing has signed Alessandro de Tullio for the 2027 INDY NXT by Firestone season. The 20-year-old Argentinian will pilot the No. 10 AstroPay car next season after completing multiple productive test sessions with the team in the offseason.

De Tullio won two races in his rookie INDY NXT campaign this season, finishing sixth in the championship standings. He qualified on pole eight times in 2026 falling one shy of the series record.

He will join teammate Carson Etter, who will again drive for Chip Ganassi Racing’s INDY NXT team in 2027. Work continues to confirm the drivers of the other CGR INDY NXT entries.

Notes of Interest:

• Sophomore Season: One of several quick rookies to join the series in 2026, de Tullio led 99 laps in his inaugural INDY NXT season, the most among rookies and second-most in the series. He drove to victory at Barber Motorsports Park and Portland International Raceway, scoring four podiums and five top-5 finishes in 17 races. His eight poles in a season are second-most all-time, tied with former INDYCAR drivers Ed Jones and Thiago Medeiros.
• On Standby: De Tullio will also be a reserve driver for road and street courses for the Chip Ganassi Racing’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES efforts, supporting the team with simulator work and at-track efforts on all non-oval weekends. Last season, Alex Palou clinched the team’s 18th INDYCAR championship to set the team record. Chip Ganassi Racing has won six of the last seven INDYCAR titles. The 2027 INDYCAR season begins in Florida with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 5, live on FOX.
• Famous Argentinian No. 10s: De Tullio will drive the No. 10 car, harkening back to the other famous Argentinian No. 10s: World Cup champions Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

Quoteboard:

• Alessandro de Tullio, driver, Chip Ganassi Racing: “I’m very excited to be joining Chip Ganassi Racing for 2027 in INDY NXT and with a reserve driver program in INDYCAR. It’s another step in my career, and joining the most successful team in INDYCAR is something that’s very special. I’m looking forward to adding to that success in the INDY NXT program, doing my best to learn as much as possible and help as much as possible as the reserve driver in INDYCAR. I also have to thank my partners that have helped me get to this stage, and I’m excited to see what we can do together at Chip Ganassi Racing.”
• Taylor Kiel, team manager, Chip Ganassi Racing: “We’re excited to welcome Alessandro to Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2027 season. Our goal is to give him and his teammates the support and resources to compete for wins and the INDY NXT championship. Pairing that program with an INDYCAR reserve driver role gives him a valuable opportunity to learn from our drivers and engineers, contribute to the team in a variety of ways and build his experience as a driver.”