Power laments IndyCar for restricting “testing too much” for 2025

IndyCar Series stalwart Will Power believes the American open-wheel championship has “restricted testing too much”, having done much less for 2025 than in previous years.

The two-time champion, who claimed his titles in 2014 and 2022, has undertaken just one day of on-track testing ahead of the upcoming campaign forcing him to prepare in other ways.

That’s despite Power completing vast testing for the 2024 season as part of IndyCar’s preparation for hybrid power units, which debuted at that year’s ninth round in Ohio.

Power participated in a post-2023 campaign test at Indianapolis, as well as further pre-season 2024 sessions in Sebring and Miami.

“It’s been nothing like last off-season,” said the Team Penske driver. “I think they’ve restricted testing too much. To just have one day before we start racing I think is too far.

“We should at least have three days spaced out or something like that. All you can do is get as fit as you can and do all the homework you can do without driving Indycars. 

“Obviously there are other things you can do: we have the simulator and so on that you can do work on, but it’s hard.

“I think if you’re spending a lot of money on a sim, it would be nice just to spend some of that on actual true track testing.”

The 43-year-old has been in the championship since 2006 and has previously stated that he can be competitive for at least another five years. 

Power reckons “there isn’t a better team in the series right now” than Penske, so hopes to continue with the squad he joined in 2009 as he enters the final year of his contract – but the Australian is not worried about a renewal if he maintains his current form.

“It isn’t my choice obviously, because I don’t own the team,” said Power, who finished fourth in the 2024 standings.

“But at the end of the day, if you’re winning races and you’re very strong, that’s the best defence you have.

“The way I performed last year, if you did the same this year – winning three races in a season in IndyCar now is very, very difficult. 

“If you’re doing that, you probably should be driving in that series. You deserve a seat.”

Continuing with IndyCar is not the only thing in his sights though. Power, who has recently joined the management agency of Fernando Alonso, intends to debut at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

“I would love to have a shot at winning that race,” he remarked when asked about Le Mans.

“I’ve won the Indy 500 [in 2018] and when I think about those sort of opportunities, someone like Fernando Alonso certainly has a lot of good contacts in Europe,” he added.

“It’s a very cool event that I haven’t been able to do yet – it’s definitely on the radar.”