Hybrid mastery key to Indy 500 win hopes – Newgarden

Yesterday at 06:01 PM

Josef Newgarden expects the first hybrid Indianapolis 500 to be settled among those who've mastered usage of the energy recovery systems.

"I think the hybrid utilization here will be the most impactful of anywhere we’ve gone," the winner of the last two Indy 500s told RACER. "It is going to be critical to use the hybrid correctly in race running compared to any other race we run. It’s just a process thing. You’re using the hybrid where it’s most efficient, and you’re doing it every lap here.

"You can use the hybrid in any way you want and using it is really, really critical because the car has such low drag here, and you have such long straightaways. When you use the hybrid power, it makes a big difference. So I do think the race is going to be a different complexion to what we’ve seen in years past."

Strategies behind charging the ERS and using the 60hp boost in the race is something every team and driver will develop leading into the 500-miler on May 25, but there's another critical factor for drivers and race engineers to solve. Just as hybridization is new to the Indy 500, the extreme heft of the Dallara DW12 chassis with 100 new pounds of weight added by the ERS unit will challenge teams to find the best possible suspension settings to prevent the Firestone tires from surrendering before the end of a stint.

Longer runs during the Open Test and once practice starts at IMS in May is where solutions will be explored.

"The weight, complexity with the car, I don’t think that’s going to really show its true difference until we get into a big pack on a hot day like this, and you’re trying to do 30 laps, and you’re gonna see the weight come into play,” Newgarden said.