INDIANAPOLIS – IndyCar has accomplished the primary oval take a look at for its 2028 automotive, the Dallara IR28. Alexander Rossi examined the chassis Wednesday, whereas Alex Palou examined it Thursday – as Chevrolet and Honda, respectively, selected the drivers to undergo the primary set of testing.
Palou stated he believes he ran an identical setup of the automotive for his take a look at as Rossi. On Wednesday, Rossi stated it was “two unfair comparisons” between the street course spec and the oval spec due to what it takes to develop an oval automotive, particularly on the two.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. Palou reiterated that sentiment after his take a look at.
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“It was not as completely different as once I examined the street course,” Palou stated. “On the street course, you are battling much more with the automotive, and it was fairly completely different. Right here, though it felt easy, I really feel prefer it’s similar to our present automotive.”
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) waits within the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) waits within the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) talks with Dallara crew members on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy automotive out of the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) solutions questions on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy automotive out of the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) solutions questions Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
The brand new Indy automotive is pushed out to pit lane on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Crew members blow water out the of the storage on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy automotive out of the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) watches a Dallara crew member work on the automotive on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Crewmembers push Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) is pushed to the monitor Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) waits within the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy automotive out of the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
Whereas Rossi’s laps peaked within the 215-mph vary, Palou (unofficially) acquired above 218 mph on his ultimate run of the day. The engineering crew engaged on the automotive – which was a makeshift group of mechanics from completely different IndyCar groups – trimmed the automotive for a de facto qualifying sim.
Thursday’s take a look at, regardless of being paused within the center for mild showers, had the good thing about temperatures that did not exceed 80 levels – whereas it approached 90 levels Wednesday. That allowed the automotive to get a couple of mph faster across the monitor.
After testing the IR28 on the IMS street course, Palou stated he thinks the automotive is “going to interrupt plenty of IndyCar data on every kind of tracks.” When requested if he felt the identical approach concerning the automotive’s oval trim, the five-time IndyCar champion wasn’t as assured.
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“I feel it is powerful to say, I do not know,” Palou stated. “I feel on the ovals, it will be very completely different. I feel as soon as we’ve got the hybrid, we’ve got the correct quantity of energy and the groups put effort on the vehicles … I feel it will be sooner. I do not know the way a lot sooner.”
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) waits within the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) waits within the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) talks with Dallara crew members on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy automotive out of the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) solutions questions on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy automotive out of the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) solutions questions Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
The brand new Indy automotive is pushed out to pit lane on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Crew members blow water out the of the storage on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy automotive out of the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
10 / 13
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) watches a Dallara crew member work on the automotive on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Crewmembers push Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) is pushed to the monitor Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) waits within the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, forward of testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou checks the brand new IR28 Indy automotive
Chip Ganassi driver Alex Palou (10) takes the Indy automotive out of the storage Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, throughout testing the brand new IR28 Indy automotive on the street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
With the automotive being in its validation testing phases, it would not have the brand new engine Honda and Chevrolet are creating, new hybrid energy unit or qualifying enhance. These components (together with temperatures hotter than central Indiana sometimes has in Could) made it laborious to inform what the IR28 is able to as soon as groups get their palms on it.
Rossi stated he acquired via round 85% of what Dallara and IndyCar wished Wednesday, and Palou stated they “checked all of the packing containers” Thursday. With IndyCar formally reaching its offseason, extra validation checks shall be executed in 2026 – together with at Sebring Worldwide Raceway, the place Palou stated the plan is for him to be again within the IR28.
As soon as validation checks are accomplished, Dallara will give the automotive to Chevrolet and Honda to complete creating their 2.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engines and inserting them for their very own checks.
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For now, the automotive has executed its final validation checks at IMS. The subsequent time the IR28 reaches the Racing Capital of the World, pace shall be a professional goal.
