P1racenews AI automatic summary:
In the morning, it was Santino Ferrucci atop the 11 drivers running at Friday’s Indianapolis Motor Speedway NTT IndyCar Series test, then it was Josef Newgarden who took the point, and in the end, …
During the NTT IndyCar Series test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing set the fastest lap at 224.342mph in the No. 10 Honda, leading the field on the first day of testing the new hybrid-spec powertrain. Josef Newgarden was second in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevy, followed by Rinus VeeKay of Dale Coyne Racing in third place. The new energy recovery system, which adds 60hp on demand and increases the minimum weight of the Dallara DW12 chassis, made its debut at the Speedway on Friday. Palou mentioned that the hybrid system presented some challenges on track but also created exciting opportunities for overtaking and strategic deployment of extra power. Drivers experimented with energy harvesting and deployment using paddles on their steering wheels, preparing for the unpredictability it might bring to future races, especially during qualifying sessions.