Five different IndyCar teams completed a test at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Wednesday, with the focus being seat time for drivers with little or no prior experience.
Dennis Hauger, the reigning IndyNXT champion, was the only driver present to have an IndyCar seat secured for next season.
Hauger completed laps with Dale Coyne Racing, running the team’s #18 entry around the elevation-filled 2.258-mile course.
The 22-year-old used the time to familiarize himself with the car as well as to get an early start working with his new team.
Other IndyNXT drivers Caio Collet and Niels Koolen were on track as well, piloting cars for AJ Foyt Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing respectively.
Felipe Nasr was present with Team Penske, with the IMSA and F1 veteran continuing his semi-regular pattern of testing an IndyCar.
Nasr continues to be one of Penske’s top drivers in the IMSA prototype program, and can provide valuable insight during test days such as this.
The fifth driver on track was Kaku Ohta in a Meyer Shank Racing car, who may have been the most watched driver of the day.
Ohta has been a formidable presence in Super Formula this season, the same series where Alex Palou cut his teeth, earning three wins out of eight held so far this year.
The Japanese driver is thought to be in position to fill a role similar to Takuma Sato, with Honda providing considerable support for his career.
Motorsportweek.com understands that most of the five drivers at the test suffered at least one incident during the day.
The crashes caused damage to their vehicles and cost considerable track time, although all were still able to complete a good number of laps before the day was done.
Other tests are scheduled in the near future, including one at IMS next week when F1 and WEC veteran Mick Schumacher will climb behind the wheel for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
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