MOORESVILLE, N.C. — A two-car test was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Monday with the new 2.4-liter, turbocharged, V-6 engine that will begin competition in the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season.
The test did not include the hybrid-assist component of the engine as that remains in development. Supply-chain issues is one reason IndyCar announced on March 3 the implementation of the 2.4-liter engine would be delayed from 2023 to 2024.
Each manufacturer had one car and one driver. Honda used six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon as its test driver. Chevrolet used Josef Newgarden of Team Penske on Monday. Will Power is scheduled to test that Chevrolet car on Tuesday.
Dixon drove a chassis prepared by Chip Ganassi Racing utilizing the new powerplant on a modified version of the 13-turn. 2.6-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
“This is an important step for HPD, Honda and INDYCAR as the series moves into the electrified era, and it was a successful day,” said David Salters, HPD president and technical director, “but there are many more steps to take before the full, hybrid power unit debuts in 2024.
“The all new 2.4-liter E85 bio-fueled engine has been designed, simulated, developed, dyno-tested, manufactured and assembled by the inspiring Honda men and women at HPD in California. We set ourselves these challenges to develop our people and technology here at HPD. We are very proud of the amazing team at HPD and our Honda ‘challenging spirit.’
“There is still a very, very long list of things to be accomplished before the power unit is tested in competition, but this is certainly a major milestone for everyone at Honda Performance Development”
Although low temperatures in the morning delayed the start of the test, Dixon and the Ganassi team completed the full list of opening-day test items prepared by HPD engineers without any issues. A second day of running is planned for Tuesday, with slightly warmer temperatures in the forecast for Indianapolis.
Twenty-five years after winning its first Indy car Manufacturers’ Championship, Honda clinched its 10th overall, and fourth consecutive, NTT IndyCar Series Manufacturers’ Championship in 2021, including a dramatic record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 triumph for Helio Castroneves in May.