IndyCar staged a test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday and Wednesday in order to have drivers evaluate new components on the famous track.
Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou climbed behind the wheel of their respective low downforce, speedway configured machines and were tasked with running laps on the 2.5-mile oval.
One of the main items on their checklist was to evaluate different Firestone tire compounds.
The tire manufacturer often tests different rubber formulations, and turning laps near 230 MPH at IMS is the only way to truly gauge various performance characteristics.
“One of [the test compounds] stood out to me,” O’Ward said. “That tire was just way better in every way in terms of feeling and how the balance of the car was throughout the stint.
“I think it will make everything better. It was definitely in the right direction.”
While providing feedback about the tires, O’Ward and Palou also reported back about a small repaved patch on the track surface in Turn 2.
The track recently made a repairs to the turn in order to fix a bump that had been developing for multiple years, unearthing long-buried original track layers from 1909 in the process.
The aim was to re-apply the track surface such that it was as smooth as possible, and running over the area at full speed was the best way to judge the results.
Alexander Rossi and Takuma Sato were also present, testing various brake and shock packages while adding their opinions on the track’s resurfacing.
The components tested by the two Indy 500 winners are being evaluated for potential use in the future, including as part of the new chassis package in development for the 2028 season.
Rossi and Sato were on track for both test days, while O’Ward and Palou were only needed for tire evaluation the first day of the test.
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