Renderings of IndyCar’s long-awaited 2028 Dallara chassis were released on Tuesday with testing set to commence on 1 August.
It will take place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in the hands of veteran drivers Alexander Rossi and Alex Palou.
IndyCar drivers and industry insiders were recently granted a sneak peak at the new machine, which will be used for the start of a major technical reset.
“Seeing the car for the first time made me even more excited about where IndyCar is going,” said four-time series champion Palou.
Claimed to be a new design from the ground up, the Dallara IR-28 is visually very similar to the IR-18 that has been used as IndyCar’s spec chassis since 2018. The IR-28 features a roomier cockpit, new front and rear wings, and an integrated aeroscreen that combine for a fresher and slightly more modern look.
“We are well on our way to showcasing a new era of IndyCar, which will include enhanced wheel-to-wheel competition, track records, standards in raceability and new benchmarks in safety,” stated IndyCar president Doug Boles.
“We are confident the IR-28 is the ideal package to move IndyCar forward for our teams, drivers, partners and fans.”
Chevrolet and Honda are contributing slightly enlarged (from 2.2 to 2.4 litre) turbocharged V-6 engines with an output of 760 horsepower.
Indycar 2028 race car
Photo by: IndyCar
An updated hybrid system with components supplied by XTrac, Helix, and BOLD Technologies cuts 20 pounds of weight and features 14 times the energy storage capacity of the outgoing package. Total weight reduction for the car is in the region of 100 pounds.
“Together, these advancements will help usher IndyCar into a new era,” remarked Honda Racing Corp. USA president David Salters.
“Honda is proud to be part of that future, supported by the long-term commitment we made to the series earlier this year. We can’t wait to see the IR-28 on track entertaining our IndyCar fans.”
After the initial rollout at Indianapolis, testing of the IR-28 is expected to continue throughout autumn at Sebring International Raceway and other venues. Production at Dallara’s factory in Varano, Italy is scheduled to begin in early 2027, with teams receiving their first cars in the spring.
“I was just as excited to see what was inside the car as I was to see what it looks like on the outside,” commented longtime IndyCar star Will Power.
“IndyCar and Dallara have done an incredible job combining updated aerodynamic ideas with all of the safety elements from the current car. It has a seamless look and one that’s also modern and aggressive at the same time.”
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– The Autosport.com Team
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