Instead of just one full-field open test session, the NTT IndyCar Series will instead host three such sessions throughout the 2023 season.
In recent years, teams have come together for one open session ahead of the season, and have only been able to do on-track testing by using their allocation of private test dates throughout the year.
This new format shifts some of the burden of track rental prices and arrangements to the series, which is now hosting a few dedicated days for all teams to participate.
The first open test of the year will take place ahead of the start of the season, and will be held at a private racetrack in southern California known as The Thermal Club.
The track is not part of IndyCar’s schedule, and will be configured into a 17-turn, 2.9-mile layout for the two-day event on February 2-3.
“We liken this to a preseason scrimmage,” IndyCar President Jay Frye said. “The teams will be doing everything it takes to prepare for a run at the 2023 championship at a new and unique backdrop for the NTT IndyCar Series.
“The facility is spectacular, and I know everyone at The Thermal Club cannot wait to welcome our paddock.”
A second open test is scheduled for April 20-21 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and will give teams a chance to dial in their setups for the Indianapolis 500.
The third test is scheduled for September 7 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. This final test comes just one day before the final race weekend of the year gets underway, and will ensure that the entire field is prepared for the finale.
With Laguna Seca planning to complete a repave of the circuit just a few months before, teams and drivers alike will likely be happy to have the extra test day to feel out the new surface.
Attendance in open tests is compulsory for full season entries, meaning the tests provide the best opportunity for teams to compare themselves and their upgrades against others outside of actual race weekends.
Teams have previously been allowed four private test sessions that they could schedule at whichever tracks they liked throughout the season, but it is believed that number will be reduced to two on account of the extra open tests.
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