A new independent officiating board for the 2026 IndyCar season has made only a few updates and hasn’t yet hired a key leader to run the system, even though the season starts soon, making some people question how “independent” it really is.
Most of the main officials from before — including the race director and technical director — are staying in their roles, with only one notable new hire, so many decisions feel unchanged despite the new structure.
There’s still no managing director of officiating, and the board says it hopes to fill that role by mid-season, meaning all three board members will attend the first races to cover duties.
Critics point out that retaining most of the same personnel makes it hard to convince fans that the officiating is truly separate from team interests, especially after controversial rule breaches in recent years.
Some drivers and insiders want to see more clarity and real changes before they’ll trust the new system, while others say it’s too early to judge how it will work once races begin.