Alexander Rossi says testing new IndyCar model was ‘like Christmas morning’

INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — IndyCar’s brand-new race car hit the oval Saturday for its first-ever test run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The new car will weigh roughly 100 pounds less than the current model and is designed to deliver faster race times and improve raceability. The new chassis and powertrain package will come to the series full-time starting in 2028.

IndyCar driver and 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi was at IMS Saturday afternoon driving some laps with the new car, and he said the experience did not disappoint.

“I’ve been a part of some new car launches before; I can’t say that any have gone as smoothly as this one has,” Rossi said. “It was a lot of fun just to know that you’re a part of the future. It was also fun because it was drying conditions so you had to kind of search for the grip a little, which is always entertaining. The car’s just really rewarding to drive. It doesn’t do anything unpredictable. It gives you good feedback, and you know what’s coming, which is great.”

Rossi and the rest of IndyCar’s drivers will have to wait until after next season before bringing the new car to the series, but that hasn’t stopped them from building excitement. After completing some test laps on Saturday afternoon, Rossi shared how eager his fellow drivers are to try the new car out themselves.

“Everyone is pumped. Everyone is really excited. It’s like Christmas morning, so everyone is super excited about it. People keep bugging me, asking, ‘What’s it like?’ I tell them, ‘Well, I haven’t done anything yet, but everyone is super excited.’ As much as we have this to look forward to, there’s still another year and a half of racing to go, so I can’t think about this too much.”

The new car aims to feature more wheel-to-wheel action, while also creating the “safest car yet.” The power for the new car will be provided by 2.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 internal combustion engines, which can produce up to 760 horsepower.