INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Alex Palou and Alexander Rossi were sold on the new IndyCar at first glance.
Then they climbed inside the cockpit, took it around Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course and were even more impressed.
Palou, the four-time series champ, and Rossi, the 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner, became the first test drivers of the new model and both left the track giving the car rave reviews.
“I am very happy to announce that we will race it next year,” Palou joked Sunday. “I wish (it was next year) — like that’s the level of excitement I think among everybody. I think everybody, when we saw it live for the first time, I was shocked at how good it looked and how excited I was to give it a try.”
The Spaniard who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing certainly would be leading the pack again if he actually competed in the IR-28 next year because it isn’t scheduled to debut until 2028. Naturally, though, Palou, who has won 21 of the last 64 races including Indy in 2025 and is on the cusp of clinching a fourth straight series title, would prefer everything goes quicker.
His interest in this model was piqued after seeing the initial renderings of the lighter, sleeker, jet-like looking car.
The higher sidepod and more expansive, wavier front wings make the car look larger while the digitally display featuring the car’s position during a race, qualifying or practice appears just behind the redesigned, less bulky aero-screen give as a high-tech feature.
Designers promised the car would have roomier cockpits, run faster and race better all while adding safety features.
Rossi thought it was better than advertised. He started seven Formula 1 races in four seasons before moving to IndyCars in 2016 and at 6-foot-1, Rossi is one of IndyCar’s tallest drivers.
“Not to draw comparisons to F1, we don’t like doing that, but I think anyone who drives an F1 car for the first time, they notice how smooth the car is — not from a powertrain standpoint but from the surface standpoint,” Rossi said Saturday. “This car starts to get to that level.”
He added: “It’s a little bigger, certainly more room for me. My knees aren’t headed into the top of the chassis, which is great. But it’s not like you’re out there driving a Suburban.”
And even though the goal was not necessarily to post fast laps, both drivers enjoyed the ride. Track officials said no official or unofficial speeds were kept.
Instead, series officials asked Rossi and Palou to produce some baseline measures about the car’s on-track performance, which can be used to help modify set-ups for future tests. That made it essentially a two-day shakedown with Rossi scheduled to run three hours on Saturday and Palou three hours Sunday.
There was just one problem — rain.
Each driver had their allotted time slot cut by at least half because of the cool, wet conditions that blanketed the Indianapolis area Saturday and Sunday. Still, it didn’t dampen the spirits of either driver.
“It’s pretty incredible to be able to be a part of the next evolution and to do it at a place that obviously means a lot to me and all of us here,” Rossi said. “It’s small part to play in the history and the future of this championship, and that’s super cool.”
What’s next remains the great unknown.
While series officials have not yet scheduled the IR-28’s next test, Palou wants other drivers to join the parade he and Rossi just led.
“It’s super fun,” Palou said. “It’s just like being on a higher end car. It feels like one of those interiors that are like good leather and it’s quiet inside. It’s good, it’s comfy, so, yeah, I can’t wait to hopefully try it in the dry (conditions) and see how it really feels when I push it.”
IndyCar returns to action next Sunday at Portland, Oregon.
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