indycar News and Analysis

New Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou topped opening practice for the 2021 IndyCar Series season opener at Barber Motorsports Park.

NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson says he’s avoiding setting expectations that might prevent him performing at his best in his IndyCar debut at Barber Motorsports Park this weekend.

Alexander Rossi believes he and Andretti Autosport can approach all but one race with confidence in the 2021 IndyCar Series, after making big improvements over the winter.

IndyCar's gold standard teams Ganassi and Penske are set for another slugfest beginning this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park. A poor start to the first season with the new aeroscreen left Josef Newgarden with too much ground to make up on Scott Dixon in the title chase, but his strong end to 2020 suggests a battle royale lies ahead...

Chevrolet’s IndyCar programme manager Rob Buckner says that the series' planned use of a KERS hybrid unit on ovals in the new-for-2023 2.4-litre engines is still in a "conceptual" phase.

Fernando Alonso has admitted he is not sure if he will race in the Indy 500 again, despite a win there having been a key target for him.

Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles says replacing IndyCar’s in-jeopardy Toronto race would likely involve turning an existing round into a double-header.

From rookies arriving with big reputations to veterans who still have the fire and an F1-linked squad pushing to join the big leagues, IndyCar has it all this year. Here are six of the key storylines to keep track of

Chip Ganassi says seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson has the talent and the racecraft to "maybe squeak a win out" in his IndyCar rookie season with the team.

Josef Newgarden is satisfied Chevrolet has stepped up in terms of power but says he won’t know until May if its fuel mileage has also improved for the Indianapolis 500.

Returning two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya says he was encouraged by his pace in IndyCar's Indianapolis Motor Speedway test, despite moments that "scared the hell out of me".

Two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden topped the second day of testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, heading Indianapolis 500-winning trio Takuma Sato, Juan Pablo Montoya and Scott Dixon.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway president J. Douglas Boles has admitted that the plan for handling a large crowd at next month’s Indy 500 remains fluid for now.

Rinus VeeKay says his Indianapolis 500 testing crash, which resulted in a broken finger, "didn't hurt my confidence" and doesn't expect the injury to cause issues in the IndyCar season-opener.

Ed Carpenter Racing-Chevrolet’s Rinus VeeKay suffered a hard collision with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway SAFER barrier on his fifth lap in Thursday’s Indy 500 test, sustaining a broken finger.

J.R. Hildebrand will drive a fourth AJ Foyt Racing entry in the Indianapolis 500 with a paint scheme echoing that on A.J. Foyt’s first Indy winning car, 60 years ago.

Santino Ferrucci will make his IndyCar return in the Indianapolis 500 next month, driving a third Rahal Letterman Lanigan entry alongside defending winner Takuma Sato and Graham Rahal.

Juan Pablo Montoya’s Arrow McLaren SP-Chevrolet will carry #86 at next month’s Indianapolis 500 to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of Peter Revson’s record-breaking pole run in the McLaren M16.

Dale Coyne says he’s satisfied with both IndyCar returnee Pietro Fittipaldi and future rookie Cody Ware after a day’s testing at Texas Motor Speedway.

Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O’Ward continued his strong form in IndyCar off-season testing by topping the speed charts at Texas Motor Speedway on Thursday.

Alexander Rossi says that IndyCar’s new aerodynamic configuration for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will improve racing for the Indy 500, and believes a power boost from KERS energy isn’t necessary.

Romain Grosjean’s race engineer Olivier Boisson is impressed with the ex-Formula 1 driver’s progress in IndyCar, but does not underestimate the challenge he faces to make an impression.

IndyCar president Jay Frye admits that Friday's test to simulate the effects of the hybrid power units had not been completely satisfactory, but had offered some “good learning”.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway will host a four-car IndyCar test on Friday as the series simulates hybrid power for the 2023 regulations, using push-to-pass boost.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Ericsson says his focus has been on improving his IndyCar qualifying pace, but also hopes for a “breakthrough” result on the oval circuits.

Jimmie Johnson says getting his IndyCar’s tyres up to temperature while they’re still at peak grip level has been one of his main challenges as he learns about open-wheel racing.

Will Power says he won’t let looming contract talks at Team Penske alter the way he tackles the 2021 IndyCar season.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Graham Rahal believes that IndyCar racing has never had a deeper pool of driver talent.

Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar ace Pato O’Ward says he is eager to attend to "unfinished business" in 2021 after coming close to a maiden win on several occasions last season.

The IndyCar Series’ seven road course events, including its Detroit double-header, will be shortened to two days in 2021.

Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power has revealed he was turned down by Chip Ganassi Racing a year before he joined Team Penske in IndyCar.

Andretti Autosport driver James Hinchcliffe says he never had doubts over his IndyCar future despite starting last year with just three races guaranteed.

Andretti Autosport IndyCar driver Colton Herta says he believes both he and his former driver father Bryan are sufficiently "mellow" that they can avoid friction in their new working relationship.

New Chip Ganassi Racing signing Alex Palou believes he has "less pressure" to win races in his second season of IndyCar racing because he has full confidence in his team.

Felix Rosenqvist says he wishes he could warn his rookie self from 2019 about how tough the transition to IndyCar would be.

Scott Dixon says both he and Chip Ganassi Racing have tried to address shortcomings from 2020, but won’t truly know if their efforts were successful until the season starts.

Often unfairly characterised as a car-breaker, judged for his lack of an Indianapolis 500 win and a disappointing part-season of Formula 1 in 1993, Michael Andretti was highly respected by his rivals and only thwarted greater success by ill-fortune. When it all came together in 1991, he was a truly formidable force

Felix Rosenqvist says that new team-mate Pato O’Ward is a huge talent, and believes that while it’s too early to compare driving styles, that might not ultimately be so relevant.

Max Chilton will return to Carlin’s IndyCar team and will compete on all road and street courses plus the Indianapolis 500 this year.

Jimmie Johnson is one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time, yet has decided to take on a fresh challenge in IndyCar for 2021. He tells DAVID MALSHER-LOPEZ what has motivated the switch.

Pietro Fittipaldi will compete in the IndyCar Series' four oval races this year including the Indianapolis 500 after signing for Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing-Honda.

Ex-Formula 1 racer Romain Grosjean says he's made "good progress" in becoming accustomed to the driving style necessary for IndyCar, after a solid day of testing at Laguna Seca

AJ Foyt Racing's technical director Mike Colliver says Sebastien Bourdais' talent, experience and attitude, and the engineering group "pulling in the same direction", has resulted in the IndyCar team's improvements

Supercars convert Scott McLaughlin says he's "oblivious" to the impression he is making during IndyCar testing ahead of his 2021 full-time debut as he's "my own harshest critic"

Ex-Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean says he "used to be an asshole as a team-mate", but has told new IndyCar stablemate Ed Jones he'd "like us to be friendly"

Rinus VeeKay put Ed Carpenter Racing on top in the 12-car IndyCar test at Barber Motorsports Park, while Romain Grosjean finished his first IndyCar test within one second of top spot

Ex-Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean says he's "really happy" with his first morning testing an IndyCar, despite spinning off and feeling soreness in his arms and recovering burnt left hand

The second year of McLaren's full-time IndyCar return is looming, with Patricio O'Ward and Felix Rosenqvist leading its line-up. Strong team personnel and work behind the scenes means that 2021 could be the year it joins the established elite