IndyCar hybrid unit set for post-Indy 500 debut

The IndyCar off-season has been geared toward developing and testing the on-track use of the new hybrid Motor Generator Unit and Energy Storage System, which could possibly make its first appearance at Laguna Seca post the Indy 500 in 2024.

The combined MGU and ESS systems are stored inside the bellhousing between the 2.2L twin-turbocharged V-6 engine and the gearbox, and has so far seen 24,556 km of testing between 13 Chevrolet and Honda drivers, with Aussie Will Power having done the most of any driver.

Unlike the current “push-to-pass” system it won’t have a limited life during a race, with drivers having the ability to harvest energy into the ESS to access the extra horsepower when needed, adding an extra dimension and strategic approach to the racing which will differ between ovals, road, and street courses.

The new IndyCar hybid units have had over 24 thousand kilometres of testing in the off-season

The decision has also been made that it won’t appear until after the Indianapolis 500, which means that the Round of 6 clash in downtown Detroit could see its debut, or likewise Road America or Laguna Seca in Round’s 7 and 8.

Monterey’s Laguna Seca seems like a good fit being the halfway mark of the year, and it’s a track that befits the occasion of revolutionary step into the future for IndyCar.

Multiple strategies have been tried out, with the use of the new system set to differ greatly between the road, street, and ovals.

On an Oval, a driver would have the ability to harvest energy under drafting to use in passing, whereas on a street or road course the harvesting would be largely under braking, with the deployment set to give a significant boost out of the cornering.

On an Oval, a driver would harvest energy in the ESS under drafting and deploy when needed in passing

It means track records are likely to tumble, and at the Indy 500 in 2025, the cars will reach unprecedented speeds, with the first Oval that’s likely to see its use being the double header at Iowa Speedway on July 13-14.

Earlier in the year Power gave his thoughts on the system, and the two-time champion and Indy 500 winning Penske Chevrolet driver is an unabashed fan of the new system, explaining its different methods of use.

“You can play with the deployment a lot. You can have a lot of power for a short time or you can spread that out,” Power said at an Indianapolis tasting session.

“I think on road and street courses, you pretty much get all the way through fifth gear with deployment, which is a key area of getting power for lap time. 

Expect track records to tumble on road and street courses with the added power out of cornering when the new hybird unit is introduced in 2024

“That’s all stuff you can really play with a lot, or the series can. It just depends how much they want to use it. This thing is just adding more power. I’m hoping this is used out of every single corner on a road and street course just for more horsepower.”

“…there are so many variables that go on when you’re out there. We’ll see when we run (in the spring). It will be part of the game, another tool that you’ve got to be good at, and be pretty smart with the way you use it.”

The 2024 IndyCar season begins March 10 at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, with more information on the competitive launch of the hybrid unit to be announced at a later date.

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