IndyCar champion Newgarden to trial windscreen in Indianapolis test
The IndyCar series will test the windscreen cockpit protection system for a second time later this month after the planned test session on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval
Penske's Josef Newgarden will take over driving duties from Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon on April 30 in what the reigning champion described as an "evolution" of the windscreen testing.
Autosport has learned that the windscreen has yet to have had impact testing completed because it is waiting for a finalised fixture to be made.
Dixon undertook windscreen testing that "exceeded expectations" on Phoenix's oval and reported no issues beyond the change in airflow preventing cooling in the cockpit and minor distortion explained as a consequence of the early prototype.
The Indianapolis 500 oval will allow Newgarden to lap at some of the highest speeds Indycars run at, and the Penske driver told Autosport he is excited about the test.
"It looked like it went really well for Scott [Dixon], I heard no complaints," said Newgarden.
"It seemed to go pretty seamlessly from vision to application, so that seems solid.
"I'm very excited and I'll be very upfront and honest with them which is what they're looking for, they just want to get another person's take on it. It's something they can compare.
"It's another evolution of their [IndyCar's] testing. They tested at Phoenix which is a certain speed level and then Indianapolis brings it up to essentially our maximum speed in an Indycar.
"They're getting another person's view but it'll continue the evolution, so they're knocking on two things there."
When asked if he had leaned on Dixon's experience and spoken to him beforehand, Newgarden said: "We have.
"I spoke to Scott in Phoenix about it, I think a lot of people did because we were curious about it.
"He didn't have anything negative to say and didn't really notice it [the windscreen] there. I'll go in with an open mind and with honest feedback."
IndyCar previously said it wanted to conduct street course testing of the windscreen because of the unique demands on a driver's vision.
It is understood that Newgarden will run the same windscreen as Dixon, with a successful test likely to lead IndyCar to build up more cars with a more finalised specification attached.
Previous article
Part of design team behind new 2018 Indycar explains development
Next article
IndyCar claims it has had 999 passes in first four races of 2018
About this article
| Series | IndyCar |
| Drivers | Josef Newgarden |
| Author | Tom Errington |
Can Penske redress the balance in IndyCar's battle of the titans?
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...
The six major IndyCar subplots to follow in 2021
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
The Indycar season that proves Michael Andretti is better than F1 showed
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
How McLaren is striving towards IndyCar's elite
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
The enigmatic legacy of a misunderstood Indy stalwart
Flashes of brilliance amid spells of obscurity have been too common for Marco Andretti. While the third-generation racer has opted to bring his full-time IndyCar career to a close, his peaks and troughs have never been for want of trying
Why American racing's top dog is without equal
A byword for success in business and in motorsport for over 50 years, Roger Penske's importance to the US scene cannot be understated. In an exclusive interview, the custodian of the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway reflects on his journey
The McLaren that rendered its Indy rivals obsolete
When founder Bruce McLaren died in June 1970, his team could have folded. Instead, his loyal band rallied to produce a string of winners - including an Indycar game-changer that won its third Indianapolis 500 five years after its debut
Why Newgarden's best IndyCar season yet wasn't enough
Josef Newgarden feels he didn't put a foot wrong in 2020, yet his finest season-long run of performances failed to yield a third series championship. But in a warning shot to Scott Dixon, Team Penske's team leader has vowed to redouble his efforts in 2021
