The Dallara IR28, the future IndyCar single-seater expected for 2028, has completed its first real validation tests on the Indianapolis road course, and the initial feedback is encouraging.
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At the wheel of the prototype, Chevrolet driver representative Alexander Rossi was very enthusiastic, both about the performance and the reliability of the car.
Also present at the wheel as designated by the other engine supplier Honda, multiple IndyCar champion Alex Palou confirmed the American’s impressions, even though he mostly drove in wet conditions.
Successful shakedown
Officially presented a few days earlier, the new IR28 seems to make a much better impression in reality than in the initial renderings released during its unveiling. Despite tricky track conditions, still wet after heavy rain, the prototype completed about forty laps without encountering any major problems before continuing the program on a dry track.
The single-seater was equipped with a less powerful version of the Ilmor V6 twin-turbo 2.4-liter engine of 2022 specification. The hybrid system was not used, its weight simply simulated by ballast to reproduce the car’s final mass.
Despite this reduced configuration, Rossi set an unofficial best lap of 1’12″6, about one second off the best times set during the IndyCar event held in May, a time considered particularly promising given the conditions.
Finally, it’s Christmas!
The goal of these tests was not to seek performance, but to validate the operation of all the systems of the new car, much like the first flight of an airplane.
Once equipped with the future 2028 specification engine, the fully operational hybrid system, and under optimal grip conditions, the Dallara IR28 should be able to easily surpass the performance of the current Dallara DW12.
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Rossi did not hide his satisfaction at the end of this first day: “I have already been involved in the launch of several new cars, and I can’t say that any went as well as this one. It is the result of the work of all the people involved. We have all been waiting for this moment for a long time: the drivers, the fans, the teams, the partners… Now, it is finally here. It’s a bit like Christmas morning.”
The rain interrupted the tests for several hours, but after four morning stints and a long break due to bad weather, Rossi was able to return to the track in the afternoon before being replaced in the cockpit by Palou the next day. Apart from replacing a simple electronic sensor, no incident disrupted the program defined by Dallara and IndyCar.
Reliability already proven
“It is difficult to make a full comparison with the conditions we had today, but everything we could hope for from such a day was accomplished. The fact that this car is entirely new and that our only real problem was replacing a sensor is phenomenal,” Rossi praised. “It is a huge credit to Dallara, IndyCar, and all the people involved. The car already has many qualities that we haven’t even started to exploit yet. It was an incredible start and a real pleasure to drive.”
The 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner was also impressed by the design of the new single-seater: “Aesthetically, it meets all expectations. I was blown away when I first saw it. The photos really don’t do it justice. In person, its presence is impressive. It has a very aggressive look.”
“Despite a brand-new chassis, completely redesigned aerodynamics, new electronics, and specific suspension, the basic sensations were very reassuring from the first laps,” he concluded. “There is still a huge potential to exploit, but it is an excellent starting point.”
These first tests therefore represent a particularly encouraging step for IndyCar. If the reliability observed during this first outing is confirmed throughout development, the Dallara IR28 could mark a major evolution for the championship starting in 2028.
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