Alex Palou Tests IR-28 Chassis at Sebring International Raceway
The new NTT INDYCAR SERIES IR-28 chassis completed its first test outside of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, with five-time and reigning series champion Alex Palou completing 43 laps on the outer loop at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, indycar.com reported. The initial evaluations of the car occurred in August and September on the IMS road course and oval. Teams frequently utilize Sebring for testing because its bumpy asphalt and concrete surfaces closely replicate the temporary street circuits that made up a third of the 2026 schedule, putting durability and components under severe stress.
We’re trying to test it as tough as we can,
Palou said, according to indycar.com. It’s a bumpy course. Before we produce all the new cars, we want to make sure it passes this stress test and that it’s good to go for racing. We’re trying to get miles and miles, see what breaks so we can fix it.
Cooling Upgrades and Driver Comfort Improvements
Palou and 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi are the sole series drivers assigned to test the IR-28 ahead of its 2028 debut. During Monday’s running, Palou noted that his prior feedback regarding driver comfort and braking from the IMS tests resulted in notable design adjustments, specifically regarding driver cooling. While the current car relies on ducts retrofitted into the carbon fiber body after the aeroscreen was introduced in 2020, the IR-28 incorporates strategically placed, larger ducts from its initial design.
Yeah, it’s been so much better, the cooling, since we started a couple months ago,
Palou said, as reported by indycar.com. Huge step, and that’s something we’ve been asking for a long time on our current car. We have a very big one right in front of us that makes the air go from down to up and makes the airflow so much better. It’s been huge.
First On-Track Traffic Test with Kyle Kirkwood
The Sebring test also yielded a milestone for the IR-28 when Palou executed the car’s first on-track pass, overtaking a current-specification car driven by Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global. Kirkwood was conducting a Firestone Firehawk tire test alongside Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske. The impromptu passing maneuver allowed the engineering teams to evaluate how the new chassis handles traffic and dirty air.
It wasn’t planned,
Palou said, according to indycar.com. We went out, and I saw Kirkwood was doing the tire test. We spoke during lunch that at some point this afternoon we would go together. We wanted to see how this car does in traffic. It was cool. We were playing a little bit.
Driver Impressions and Ongoing Development Schedule
With an extensive database of current car telemetry available at Sebring, engineers can directly compare legacy performance against the IR-28. Alexander Rossi is scheduled to take over driving duties on Tuesday at the historic Florida venue to continue the checklist of basic system and performance verifications alongside Dallara and INDYCAR officials.
I’m very excited,
Palou said, indycar.com reported. I like the looks of it. It seems safer. It looks like it’s going to be much better racing because we’re going to be able to follow much closer on road, street and ovals.
Frequently Asked Questions About the IR-28 Tests
When will the IR-28 chassis make its official debut in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES?
The new chassis is scheduled to be introduced at the start of the 2028 season, leaving teams ample time to evaluate and refine components across road courses, street circuits, and ovals.
Which drivers are handling the on-track testing duties for the new chassis?
Five-time and reigning series champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing and 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi of ECR are the only two series drivers performing the initial testing phase.
Why did INDYCAR select Sebring International Raceway for this test?
Sebring features a challenging mix of bumpy asphalt and concrete surfaces that simulates the demanding nature of temporary street circuits, making it an ideal venue to stress-test component durability.
Worth a look