Julian Robertson, who has been an engineer for Chip Ganassi Racing's IndyCar team since 1993, is retiring. The team announced Robertson's upcoming retirement in an article written through its new media venture, CGR Media.
Robertson has been the engineer for Alex Palou since Palou joined CGR in 2021 following his rookie season at Dale Coyne Racing in 2020. Together, Palou and Robertson have won 25 races, five IndyCar championships and the 2025 Indianapolis 500 with the No. 10 Honda.
"Julian was hired in 1993, and is planning to retire, that should be championed – he has been vital throughout," CGR managing director Mike Hull said in the story.
Now CGR, led by owner Chip Ganassi and Hull, must find a new engineer to sustain Palou's dominance and chase a record-breaking fifth consecutive title. A large reason for Palou's dominance has been the continuity within the team, which he acknowledges.
"I have Chip and everybody at CGR, they've been giving me all the tools," Palou said after clinching this year's championship at the Milwaukee Mile. "Julian ... I have the people around me, they take so much care of me, and they make me look so good on track. It's just super fun. I don't know how long this is going to last. One year, 10 years, 15, five years. I don't know how long are we going to be able to be up top. But I'm enjoying every single day with this team, with this car."
The people inside CGR's shop on the northwest side of Indianapolis will look a lot different in 2027. The team is losing Scott Dixon – who raced at CGR for 25 years and won six championships – to Arrow McLaren. Arrow McLaren is also signing two other CGR engineers, director of performance Chris Simmons and Ross Bunnell, from the CGR umbrella.
CGR has won an IndyCar-leading 18 championships due to the names and faces that have been in the building for decades. A handful of those employees are walking out the door.
"The challenge for senior management is how we continue to make it happen," Hull said. "Are we recognizing people as they grow, listening to their ideas, acknowledging their contributions, and giving them the responsibility and opportunity to take the next step?"
Time will tell how impactful CGR's various losses this offseason become. At the very least, the engineer behind the most unstoppable driver in IndyCar is on his way out.
Zion Brown is IndyStar's motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn. Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. Subscribe to the YouTube channel IndyStar TV: IndyCar for a behind-the-scenes look at IndyCar and expert analysis.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Alex Palou's longtime Chip Ganassi Racing IndyCar engineer to retire