Roger Penske made several changes for 1996, particularly after the Penske team failed to qualify for the 1995 Indianapolis 500. Some of the differences between the PC-25 and the 1995 car, the Penske PC-24, were that it had better aerodynamics and was powered by the Mercedes-Benz IC 108C turbocharged V8 engine producing 800 brake horsepower. The biggest problem to sort out for 1996 was the drivers; American Al Unser, Jr. stayed with Penske but Canadian Paul Tracy rejoined the team and the team gave a PC-25 to Hogan Racing for Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi to drive and that team was known as Hogan-Penske Racing.