The hybrid assist unit, which is a common system fitted to the current 2.2-litre engines, is set for competition next season.
Since the 2023 season concluded on 10 September at Laguna Seca, preparation has ramped up with the new addition wrung out at all the different track disciplines, including Gateway (short oval), Barber Motorsports Park (road course), Sebring International Raceway (street circuit) and recently Indianapolis Motor Speedway (superspeedway).
Additionally, in the tyre test at Milwaukee on Wednesday, Team Penske’s Will Power was running the hybrid car, while Chip Ganassi Racing’s Linus Lundqvist pounded laps with a non-hybrid version.
While push-to-pass has been a common practice at road and street circuits, the addition of the hybrid system will provide something new on those tracks. The hybrid will also apparently play a unique role to provide a boost on the ovals too.
There were four teams that split time testing at IMS last week, with Chevrolet represented by Power, along with Arrow McLaren’s David Malukas and Alexander Rossi. Honda was equipped with the Andretti Global duo of new signing Marcus Ericsson and Colton Herta, with reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou also on track for Ganassi.
The energy for a hybrid system is traditionally boosted under braking, and that’s the common practice for road and street circuits. At IMS, though, braking is absent when pushing 220mph around a 2.5-mile oval.
Based on the test, the concept is that the energy will regenerate through being in the draft or tucked in traffic before deploying a boost for increased passing opportunities – a push-to-pass-type of system specific to the oval.
“I think that's the idea,” Palou said. “It's honestly what I'm looking forward to because it can play a big role.
Source: Autosport