Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert took a big step in his relationship with singer/songwriter Madison Beer. The couple announced their engagement on social media last month.
On Tuesday, Herbert appeared on “The Richer Lives” show. When asked about his dream retirement plan, the Chargers quarterback admitted to wanting a loving family and to create memories with them.
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“My dream retirement would be to start a family,” Herbert said (Timestamp- 29:55). “To have a family a family that I get to take care of, look after and love and enjoy all my all of my hardwork with football and what it’s provided me.
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“There’s gonna be a long life after football. And, I think I’m really looking forward to it. One day, being able to start a family.”
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Justin Herbert and Madison Beer were first spotted together when the quarterback was on her music set in August 2025. In October, the couple made headlines after the “Make You Mine” hitmaker kissed him ahead of their game against the Washington Commanders.
The couple made several public appearances over the past few months. Madison Beer announced her engagement to the Chargers quarterback with a post on Instagram. She shared several photos from the day of the proposal with the caption, “Meet my fiancé.”
Justin Herbert shares his thoughts on entering training camp with Madison Beer’s support
On Saturday, ex-NFL defensive end Isaac Rochell interviewed Justin Herbert. He asked the quarterback about the importance of Madison Beer’s presence in his life.
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Herbert did not hesitate in giving Beer her flowers. He also expressed gratitude for finding “his person.”
“It’s hard to explain,” Herbert said. “It’s been so incredible, and she’s changed my life. It’s something I never thought was possible. It’s so awesome to find your person and be able to spend your life with them. I’m excited and just can’t wait. She’s the best.”
On Tuesday, a video of Herbert and Madison Beer cuddling during the Chargers’ training camp went viral on social media. However, fans were not impressed with their romance and criticized them for engaging in PDA.
The Chargers will play the Arizona Cardinals at home in their season opener on Sept. 13. Kickoff is at 4:25 p.m. ET. and will be broadcast on CBS.
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks is selected by the Minnesota Vikings as the number 18 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
One of my favorite parts of training camp in my NFL front office years (and now in my media work) has been to closely watch the team’s draft picks and project their potential impact as rookies. These young players are the shiny new toys for coaches as they determine if they can trust the rookies to see the field when the regular season comes.
As I’ve watched practices this week—especially the fully padded sessions on Monday and Wednesday–I’ve been impressed with the potential of this Vikings draft class. Time will tell as we won’t really know how impactful these players will be in Year 1 until the regular season and perhaps several weeks into the schedule. It certainly appears that many of the nine 2026 draftees will contribute as backups and good special teamers and several could start.
We’ll have plenty of time to break down the quarterback situation where Kyler Murray will likely be named the starter before the joint practices with the Ravens on August 19-20. For this week, I’ll depart from the QB discussion and give my early impressions of the 2026 draft class.
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The GM & The Vikings Draft Class
Caleb Banks: The first-rounder is listed at 6-6, 327 pounds and he looks really big when you see him on the field. The best news is he’s practiced every day after recovering from his foot surgery that sidelined him in the offseason program.
Nov 29, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks (88) celebrates recovering a fumble during the second quarter against the Florida State Seminoles at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images
Like many rookies, Banks is up and down. I saw him dominate in one-on-ones on Monday and then look average or worse when taking on two blockers in a drill on Wednesday. He’s going to be a work in progress and perhaps needs to get in better shape to play consistently in the summer heat but the tools are there and the coaches have to be a bit patient but still push him hard. A healthy Banks should start at defensive tackle as he perfects the scheme and utilizes his size and strength to be a force inside.
Jake Golday: He’s a future starter on the Vikings defense, whether as an edge player or an inside linebacker. Golday is athletic, versatile and looks smooth wherever he lines up. The second-round pick should be the third edge rusher as a rookie, providing relief for Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner and perhaps lining up with them as pass rushers at times. He appears destined to be a Van Ginkel clone who can rush the passer, stop the run and drop effectively into coverage.
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With Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson and Ivan Pace at inside backer, it’s apparent Golday’s greatest impact this season will be if he’s that third edge rusher/OLB and doing it well. He’s been lining up both inside and outside in camp so he has a lot on his plate in learning multiple positions.
Golday definitely should be a top special teamer immediately and I expect him to make some big plays in that area. The Vikings personnel people and coaches obviously thought highly of him as they passed up quality centers and safeties to take Golday as a higher rated player on their draft board. It won’t surprise me if he winds up as the best player in this Vikings draft class.
Domonique Orange: “Big Citrus” is the prototypical run-stuffing nose tackle/defensive tackle who certainly looks the part as a third round pick who should contribute this season and perhaps be a future Vikings starter. He didn’t practice on Monday with a minor injury but to his credit, he was back at practice Tuesday and Wednesday and had the defensive coaches highly excited by one of his reps in one-on-ones. Orange’s size and strength should be a big help to the run D this season.
Caleb Tiernan: What struck me in first seeing him is his size and especially his height at 6-7. He looks like he has good feet and the word is he can play guard even if he looks best suited at tackle.
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Nov 23, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive end Cameron Brandt (91) rushes on defense at Northwestern Wildcats offensive lineman Caleb Tiernan (72) in the second half t Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The third-rounder probably won’t play this season unless injuries hit the O-line as vet Ryan Van Demark seems headed for the swing tackle backup role. It’s hard to know at this juncture about a young O-lineman but I think Tiernan has a good Vikings future ahead and it won’t be a surprise if he’s a starter somewhere on the offensive line by his third season.
He’s a player to watch in Vikings preseason games when Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw get very few snaps in order to keep them healthy.
Jakobe Thomas: He’s a confident looking safety with good size and instincts to possibly start if Harrison Smith does not return. The coaches will watch the third rounder closely this month and he’ll get a lot of play time in preseason games with the opportunity to push his way into a big role as a rookie.
Even if Smith comes back, I think Thomas has a solid chance to be the third safety ahead of Theo Jackson and Jay Ward. Thomas needs to be the safety who can run with receivers going deep and play the underneath routes against tight ends while also being a run stopper.
The Vikings need more interceptions from their safeties after having only four from the two safety spots last season (two each by Smith and Josh Metellus). Thomas had five picks last season for Miami along with 3.5 sacks so he can cover and blitz. He also played the run well with 76 tackles. He should be a future starter and could be a rookie starter at a position of need.
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Max Bredeson: He’s built solid at 6-2, 252 pounds and he’s a physical blocker at fullback who has good hands. I saw him make a nice catch in the flat in a team drill this week. He steps into the C.J. Ham role as a strong lead blocker, reliable pass catcher in the flat and excellent special teamer. I expect the Vikings fifth rounder to see the field a fair amount this season.
Charles Demmings: This fifth-round pick is making an impact with his physical coverage skills at training camp, He comes out of small school Stephen F. Austin but I’m impressed that he’s not intimidated in his first NFL camp which we saw when he put a big hit on vet WR Jauan Jennings in practice this week.
Demmings could push vet free agent signee James Pierre for the third corner or at least become the fourth corner who gets play time in certain defensive schemes and in the event of injury to the other corners.
He’s a 4.4 guy with good size at 6-1, 193 pounds who can run with wide receivers and should be able to play the run. Demmings will get good battle testing trying to cover the Vikings talented WR corps in camp and he’ll be worth watching when he plays a lot in preseason games. He should be another special teams standout. There have been a lot of late-round corners who wound up being great players. Perhaps Demmings can be such a player.
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Demond Claiborne: He’s an attention grabber in camp with his blazing speed (4.37 in the 40) which makes him the Vikings’ fastest running back and a potential sixth-round steal. He was a dual threat player at Wake Forest but he’s had a few drops early in camp so he needs to fine tune his concentration in the passing game. He also was a good kick returner in college and will be in the mix for a return role.
Nov 23, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Demond Claiborne (1) runs with the football against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Claiborne will play a lot in the preseason games as the team limits the play time of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. It will be fun to see how Claiborne performs and if he can be a viable option as a change of pace back this season with a possible bigger role in the future.
Gavin Gerhardt: He’s most likely a developmental player this season who will have to work hard to make the team and may wind up on the practice squad if he can’t beat out Michael Jurgens as the Vikings’ No. 2 center. It’s too soon to tell if he has an NFL future but Gerhardt will get snaps in the preseason games.
Center was a need position going into the draft but the Vikings took higher-rated players at other positions and waited until the seventh round to select Gerhardt who had plenty of starting experience in college at Cincinnati. Starting center Blake Brandel was a sixth rounder in 2020 so it’s certainly possible for a late round pick to emerge on the O-line.
Jeff Diamond is a former Vikings GM, former Tennessee Titans President and was selected NFL Executive of the Year … More about Jeff Diamond
Former Gujarat captain Priyank Panchal has become the latest voice to question the decision to appoint 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as East Zone vice-captain for the upcoming Duleep Trophy, saying the teenager should first be allowed to settle into the demands of red-ball cricket.Sooryavanshi, who will serve as deputy to Ishan Kishan, was handed the leadership role despite having played only eight first-class matches for Bihar. His appointment came ahead of far more experienced players, including Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has featured in 113 first-class games.The decision followed Sooryavanshi’s impressive outing in Zimbabwe, where he was named Player of the Series after scoring 151 runs in three T20Is, including a match-winning 81 in the third and final game.However, Panchal believes the selectors could have waited before entrusting the youngster with additional responsibility.“I think the zonal selectors could have avoided making Vaibhav Sooryavanshi the East Zone vice captain. It could put unnecessary pressure on the young kid. Let him understand the dynamics of red ball cricket first, properly, before entrusting such duties upon him. Thoughts? #DuleepTrophy,” Panchal wrote on X (formerly Twitter).The appointment has sparked debate among fans and former cricketers, with many arguing that the teenager should be given time to develop before taking on a leadership role in one of India’s premier domestic red-ball tournaments.Despite the criticism, East Zone selectors have defended the decision, insisting it is part of a long-term plan for Sooryavanshi’s development.“We are not thinking about the present alone,” Manish Vardhan, former cricketer and Jharkhand’s representative on the East Zone selection committee, told Cricinfo.“A vice-captain gets to observe the captain closely and understand how a team is run. We wanted Vaibhav to be more involved with the group because we think it will help him as he develops. He’s an extremely talented cricketer and is maturing steadily. Giving him this responsibility is another part of that process,” he added.The 63rd edition of the Duleep Trophy begins on August 23 at the BCCI‘s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. East Zone will face North-East Zone in the opening round, while West Zone take on North Zone. The winners will meet South Zone and Central Zone respectively in the semi-finals on August 30, with the final scheduled for September 5.
Ariha Pangambam on Friday created history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal in the senior women’s individual event at the Aerobic Gymnastics Asian Championships.The Indian gymnast finished first in the final with a score of 19.100 to claim India’s first-ever gold medal in the event.Ariha scored 8.650 in artistry, 7.600 in execution and 2.850 in difficulty to secure the title.“A great achievement for us. Did very well. Kudos to her and her coach,” Gymnastics Federation of India president Sudhir Mital said, as quoted by PTI.The 2026 Asian Aerobic Gymnastics Championships were held in the Philippines from August 4 to 7.
Folks, it’s hard not to feel enthusiastic about what sophomore tight end Gavin Bartholomew is doing at training camp.
The Vikings’ lost-and-found pass catcher missed all of his rookie year due to a back injury. The 6th-Round selection thus got off to a modest beginning to his career. Many would have seen this setback function as the death knell but that doesn’t appear to be the case for Mr. Bartholomew. Reports keep insisting that the Pittsburgh alumnus is playing well.
Gavin Bartholomew The Vikings’ Lost-and-Found Tight End
On social media — generally a dreadful place — Lindsey Young offers her assessment of players who have been doing excellent. Consider how she frames things from a post earlier today: “Today is the players’ day off, but here are some of the first- and second-year Vikings who have stood out to me at training camp so far.”
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Sitting atop the pile is Gavin Bartholomew.
Note, that’s not necessarily to say that Young is insisting Bartholomew has been the team’s best player. Rather, it’s simply the first name on the list. The point, folks, is that Young is adding her voice to a chorus of people who believe that the young tight end has looked really good.
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers cornerback Garnett Hollis Jr. (1) battles Pittsburgh Panthers tight end Gavin Bartholomew (86) for a pass in the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Image Images
Will Ragatz sent praise to the tight end, writing on August 4th, “One guy who keeps standing out and making plays: second-year TE Gavin Bartholomew, who missed all of last season with a back injury.”
Alec Lewis offered his two cents on July 29th: “Semi-random Vikings camp takeaway, but I thought TE Gavin Bartholomew looked really good. Made two impressive over the middle catches. Moved well. First time really seeing him out there after back injury happened last year.”
In these brief snippets, there’s a pattern emerging.
Vikings writers are observing training camp. Pretty consistently, these writers step away having noticed the promise that Mr. Bartholomew has been showing. A touch basic, perhaps, but there’s something to be said for multiple people all arriving at the same conclusion. Better yet, they’re doing so across multiple days, suggesting that the kid has been playing well consistently rather than just having a single sizzling day (that’s what coaches want to see).
The Old Testament book of Proverbs insists that there’s safety in the counsel of many. Many are pointing toward promise from Bartholomew, so people would be wise to take note.
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Oct 12, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; California Golden Bears defensive back Miles Williams (left) and defensive back Craig Woodson (2) tackle Pittsburgh Panthers tight end Gavin Bartholomew (86) during the fourth quarter against at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh won 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images – Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
In all likelihood, the Vikings feel confident about the high-end talent at tight end.
Veterans T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver are very likely to secure the top pair of positions. Minnesota’s hope is to have an impact pass catcher and blocker within those two.
Where things get more fascinating is the TE3 (and potential TE4) spot(s). Ben Yurosek held down the third spot last year but that was within the context of Bartholomew missing his entire rookie season. Note, as well, that Bryson Nesbit is back after spending 2025 on Minnesota’s practice squad. Nolan Teasley turned up the competitive heat a bit more by adding Marshall Lang.
The Vikings, in other words, are seeing four players battle for what is a maximum of two open positions. Quite possibly, there will be just a single slot due to FB Max Bredeson being capable of lining up as a tight end.
Feb 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew (TE02) participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Gavin Bartholomew, 23, stands at 6’5″ and is close to 250 pounds. He’s doing what he needs to do in order to position himself for a spot on the final roster.
Alison Sargent is pleased to welcome International Sports Journalist Thando Sibiya.She presents the FIFA governance crisis not as an isolated dispute over a failed commercial proposal, but as the culmination of deeper institutional tensions that have been developing over Gianni Infantino’s presidency. Sibiya argues that the proposed sale of a permanent stake in FIFA’s commercial rights became a catalyst rather than the root cause of the conflict, exposing longstanding disagreements over governance, legitimacy, commercialisation, and geopolitical influence within world football. By connecting the aborted FIFA Forward Entity proposal with the resignation of a key adviser, UEFA’s increasingly confrontational stance, disputes surrounding referee protections, and divergent interests between UEFA and CAF, Sibiya frames the controversy within a broader struggle over who ultimately defines and governs the future of global football.
Yet another branch of the Kawhi Leonard salary-cap circumvention saga emerged Thursday.
Leonard had a multi-million hidden sponsorship deal with Daktronics, the company which made the Los Angeles Clippers‘ halo scoreboard at Intuit Dome, Pablo Torre reported.
It’s the third questionable arrangement that has come to light over the past year, beginning with Leonard’s alleged no-show deal with environmental bank Aspiration, which sparked an NBA investigation that remains ongoing into whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap to sign the two-time Finals MVP.
In July, Torre reported that Leonard was a minority owner with the United Soccer League’s Rhode Island FC, a pro soccer club, though its ties to the Clippers are tangential at best.
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A PR spokesperson for Daktronics replied to Torre co-investigator Sam Koppelman’s questioning about a Leonard deal.
“My understanding is Daktronics doesn’t have a deal with Kawhi right now,” the spokesperson said. “I don’t know what the company wants to say, or can say, given the Wachtell investigation and all that.”
Wachtell Lipton is the law firm hired by the NBA to look into the Leonard case.
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The Clippers strongly denied that any rules were broken and said they welcomed the league’s investigation.
Earlier this off-season, the Clippers agreed to send Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors in a trade for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft picks. However, the teams have since put the deal on pause as Wachtell Lipton completes its investigation surrounding potential cap circumvention.
It remains unclear when the probe, which has been ongoing for about 11 months, will wrap up.
In July, The Athletic reported that the NBA was looking into a second sponsorship deal in addition to Aspiration.
Which teams from the West have been ranked the most in the Preseason Coaches Poll in the last 16 years?
Here is a list of those appearances since 2010, with a breakdown by program at the bottom.
Early rankings can be fleeting and deceiving, so we’ve also included the final rankings each year for context.
Oregon has the most preseason Coaches Poll rankings in the span, with 15 appearances in the last 16 years, followed by USC with 14, and Stanford with nine.
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Preseason CFB Top 25 Coaches Poll Appearances since 2010
1 min read Last Updated : Aug 07 2026 | 11:48 AM IST
Para-athlete and Commonwealth gold medalist Dilip Gavit could not meet MNS chief Raj Thackeray here even after waiting for nearly two hours on Thursday, his coach claimed.
Gavit, who won the gold in the men’s 100m T47 final in the Commonwealth Games, had been invited to meet Thackeray who is touring Nashik, said his coach Vaijanath Kale.
A video showed MNS workers placating Kale and asking him to wait for some more time.
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“We were waiting for quite some time….Sir (Thackeray) is busy. We will meet him later,” Kale is heard saying.
MNS spokespersons’ reaction was not immediately available.
India scripted history in para athletics at the Commonwealth Games, securing a historic one-two finish in the men’s 100m T47 final as Dilip Gavit won the gold and Mohammed Basil Morssinganakath claimed the silver.
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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The absence of power steering has long been a quirk that separates driving in IndyCar from other racing series. IndyCar is the only major racing series that doesn’t have power steering, adding a level of physicality to the turns that drivers complete at high speeds.
The series itself markets not having power steering, with actor Tanner Buchanan saying, “Have you ever driven a car with no power steering? Probably not, because it’s too damn hard,” while narrating a preseason promo that has aired throughout the year.
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But with IndyCar unveiling the Dallara IR28 car in July, it came with the news that unique characteristic of driving an Indy car could change. IndyCar VP of competition and race engineering Mike O’Gara said the new chassis is “future-proof” for several additions the series may make down the line, including power steering – which O’Gara referred to as “power assist.”
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
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(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
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(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
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(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
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(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
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See photos of IndyCar’s new car, set to debut in 2028
IndyCar’s new car is displayed Friday, July 31, 2026, at IndyCar corporate offices near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IndyCar’s new car is set to debut in 2028.
(Grace Smith/IndyStar)
IndyCar’s first set of tests for the car, including the validation tests done by Alexander Rossi and Alex Palou, won’t feature power steering. But the series plans to test the system at some point before deciding whether it should debut with the new car in 2028.
“I think we need to test it at a few different places to see if it’s needed and where it’s needed,” O’Gara said. “Is it a road course only thing? Do we require it everywhere or only certain track types? So that’s gonna come with track testing as we run.”
Why IndyCar could introduce power steering
The most obvious upside to adding power steering is the limit to hand injuries in the series. Mick Schumacher (left wrist), Rossi (left middle finger) and Romain Grosjean (right hand) are drivers who are known to have broken bones while driving this year alone. The toll of steering without any assist makes these injuries a common occurrence in IndyCar.
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“From a safety aspect, I’ve broken bones in my hand a number of times over my career from wheel-to-wheel contact,” Will Power told IndyStar. “I think it would help that.”
The force of the steering wheel in the current car, the DW12, leads to injuries in the cockpit. Power – who lobbied for adding power steering in a preseason driver meeting – even mentioned that his Andretti Global teammate Kyle Kirkwood utilizes a slower steering ratio at tight street and road courses, which has led to Kirkwood having wrist issues.
“I think the power steering would be nice in terms of safety,” Felix Rosenqvist said. “We’ve had a lot of people breaking hands, fingers, wrists. I’ve been one of those, probably had two or three hand injuries in my career, which some of them are still there with me today. If you can avoid that, I think it would be nice.”
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Palou is against adding power steering, but the four-time champion understands the safety reasons why the series may add some sort of assist to the steering wheel.
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“I think it’s a little bit dependent on the driver having hand issues, like having injuries when they crash,” Palou said after his first test of the IR28. “If it wasn’t because of that, I wouldn’t even consider it. I just like the feel of the raw Indy car, no power steering, having to work a lot for it and having to fight quite a lot with the car. Honestly, I would stay like this, but I understand that we might go a different direction.”
If IndyCar decides to move forward with its version of power steering, it’s expected to reshape the racing and what it means to be an IndyCar driver.
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) waits in the garage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, ahead of testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) waits in the garage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, ahead of testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) talks with Dallara crew members on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, during testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy car out of the garage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, during testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) answers questions on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, ahead of testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy car out of the garage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, during testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) answers questions Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, ahead of testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
The new Indy car is pushed out to pit lane on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, ahead of testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Crew members blow water out the of the garage on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, ahead of testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy car out of the garage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, during testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) watches a Dallara crew member work on the car on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, during testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Crewmembers push Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) is pushed to the track Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, during testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) waits in the garage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, ahead of testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou tests the new IR28 Indy car
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy car out of the garage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, during testing the new IR28 Indy car on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
How power steering would change racing
Most motorsports series require drivers to have elite stamina and endurance due to the length of races. But IndyCar drivers have also become known for their upper body strength because of what it takes to turn the steering wheel. Drivers who enter IndyCar in their teens or early 20s gain substantial muscle mass as they become veterans in the series.
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“I’ve always been against (power steering) because primarily, I was always just a purist,” Graham Rahal told IndyStar. “And for me, I always felt like IndyCar was the raw form of motorsport. There was no driver aid, there was none of that stuff. It was sort of man and machine.”
Adding power steering would alter how drivers train to be in IndyCar and which drivers are physically capable of doing it. Palou appreciates that he and others have had to bulk up to make it to IndyCar and become great.
“If you look at a lot of upper bodies of drivers, you can see that the shoulders and arms are bigger than other series,” Palou said. “I think it actually looks cool, so hopefully we can keep it this way.”
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If IndyCar does add power steering, O’Gara said it won’t be a hydraulic power steering system like what’s used in Formula One, but it’ll resemble the electric power steering used in sportscar championships like IMSA and WEC. Electric power steering tends to be lighter than hydraulic, although hydraulic typically has stronger feedback to bumps and other handling issues.
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The system would also be something that can be tuned up or down depending on driver preference. After workshopping how much they do or don’t like the power steering system, drivers and teams would be allowed to individualize their steering setup.
“I don’t think any of this is final, but you will have the ability to turn it off,” said Rossi, who seemed rather indifferent on the idea of adding power steering. “So it can be driver preference. If at a certain track, it’s super heavy, when you get 40 laps into a race or the last stint or whatever, you can have the aids. But on the (IMS) oval here, you might not want any at all; you can have it off. So it’s something that’ll be driver adjustable, team adjustable, and it can be really user dependent.”
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Power thinks the addition of power steering would lead to faster racing, and IndyCar has emphasized breaking track records as a goal for the IR28. The two-time IndyCar champion thinks using less force would make getting around tracks easier on a lap-by-lap basis, and he wants to see IndyCar give it a try as it continues to test the IR28 over the next year and a half.
“You would be able to run a much faster steering ratio, which makes the car feel more nimble,” Power said. “Your corrections are quicker. They’re all things you just have to try. … You just need to put it on the car, test it, try it.”
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As O’Gara mentioned, the power assist system could only be activated at certain tracks or track types, and not something that exists for every race. While many drivers seemed alright with IndyCar potentially adding the system for only certain courses, Rahal thinks power steering should either exist everywhere IndyCar goes or not at all.
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“I think it’s too complicated,” Rahal said of altering power steering guidelines depending on tracks or track types. “I could be wrong, but I feel like that complicates things a lot. So I’m not so sure that that would work, that’s all I would say. I would think it’s better to just keep it consistent across the board.”
There are several gains and drawbacks to including power steering in the IR28, and IndyCar must spend its time leading up to 2028 making the right decision for safety and the overall racing product. As far as drivers go, there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on whether the series needs power steering. Some feel it would take away from a crucial aspect of IndyCar racing, but others are campaigning for it to be introduced in 2028.
“You can say it’s the heaviest thing in the world, I don’t think anybody watching the races on TV would agree with you,” Rosenqvist said of IndyCar’s current marketing of the series not having power steering. “They probably think they could go right in and turn the wheel themselves. How much is it worth having that physicality for how much you’re paying with it in terms of injuries and also some drivers actually not being able to drive the car physically?”
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Depending on whether and how IndyCar decides to implement the system, power steering could fundamentally change IndyCar racing both on track and by the physical requirements it takes to join the series.
Early rankings can be fleeting and deceiving, so we’ve also included the final rankings each year for context.
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