The NTT IndyCar Series prepares to introduce a new innovative car for the 2028 season. What does this entail? Well, from what IndyCar president J. Douglas Boles has said, “The time has come for a new NTT INDYCAR SERIES chassis,” “The DW12 served the series so well, as it provided a combination of phenomenal, wheel-to-wheel racing and critical enhancements to safety. But recent significant updates to the car – from the aero screen to the hybrid power unit – have helped advance the need for a completely new car. We are pleased by what our engineers and Dallara have collaboratively designed and believe it will appeal to the fans and paddock while also upholding our standards of safety and enhancing IndyCar’s on-track competition well into the future.”
The new car will have extensive planning and collaborative design works continuing for the new chassis. It will have on-track testing scheduled for early 2026. The new chassis will be produced by Dallara, being designed to appeal to the next generation of fans whilst keeping styling cues recognised by all fans as an IndyCar Series car. Dallara has produced the chassis since 1997 and has been an exclusive chassis supplier since 2008.
The three areas the NTT Indycar Series are going to make sure work for the drivers are competition, powertrain development and safety. These are pillars of the engineering, design and development of the new car.
The new car in three NTT IndyCar Series will enhance an ultra-competitive nature for the series by being better than before, which will be suited for racing on all four types of circuits the series will visit, which are: superspeedways, short ovals, street circuit and permanent road courses. The evolution of the new chassis has included work by Dallara and has recently developed simulation technology, which will be aimed at enhancing overall traceability.
Working in tandem, the car’s overall design includes a projected weight reduction from 85-100 pounds compared to the current IndyCar Series chassis. The plan is to include a move to a 2.4 liter twin-turbocharged V-6 internal combustion engine, which will be expected to provide more torque and more power over current engine formula.
Xtrac, the exclusive supplier for IndyCar since 2000, will be continuing to provide transmission for the new chassis. The development for the 2028 car will include a gearbox that will shed 25lbs from the current used unit and the one that shares components with a future Indy NXT by Firestone gearbox, which will streamline components for teams that are also involved in the IndyCar development series.
The low-voltage hybrid engine technology, introduced to the series competition with a successful launch in July 2024, will continue to evolve into the new car with longer development, more horsepower gain and overall improved performance in the new car. Performance Friction Corporation (PFC) has once again been the exclusive supplier of the brake system components for the series, from 2017.
Safety in the series will continue to be the main focus of Dallara’s design, with close collaboration with the IndyCar technical and medical response officials. The new car will bolster safety to new benchmarks with an ergonomic driver cockpit to improve the drivers seating position, as well as a new integrated aeroscreen and new roll hoop. The existing chassis was retrofitted with the aeroscreen upon the revolutionary safety device’s instructions in 2020.
Renderings and more information about the new car, with which the additional partners will be announced at a later date. Updates on the new car and plans continues the upward trajectory of North America’s premier open-wheel series. The recent milestones include Fox viewership results of 27% year over year gain whilst averaging a two million viewers for this year’s season, which is a partnership renewal with longtime tyre supplier Firestone.
Written by Ellie.
Edited by Alexandra.
Featured Image Credit: IndyCar.com
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