INDYCAR to use hybrid engines this weekend at Mid-Ohio
A new era of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts this weekend in Lexington, Ohio, and The American Legion will be there to be a part of it.This weekend during the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, INDYCAR will be using hybrid power units, a collaboration between the racing series, Honda and Chevrolet. The new unit pairs the existing 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V6 combustion engine with groundbreaking supercapacitor hybrid technology. A low-voltage (48V) motor generator unit (MGU) is paired to an energy storage system (ESS), both of which fit into the bellhousing between the engine and the gearbox. The MGU builds power that is stored in the ESS’ 20 supercapacitors.
The additional horsepower is deployed through the same motor generator on drivers’ demand. The hybrid power unit (280 kilojoules per lap at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course) will be available in addition to traditional Push to Pass on road and street circuits (200 seconds at a maximum of 20 seconds per push at Mid-Ohio). Used simultaneously, the package will provide an additional 120+ horsepower on driver demand.
Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqvist will again be behind the wheel of No. 8 American Legion Honda featuring Be the One branding. Lundqvist continues to lead the INDYCAR Rookie of the Year standings, having built a 25-point lead over teammate Kyffin Simpson.
Alex Palou, meanwhile, is looking to add to his lead in the overall INDYCAR standings after winning the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on June 23. The defending series champ will be behind the wheel of the No. 10 Ridgeline Honda this weekend and holds a 23-point lead over Will Power.
The 80-lap, 180.64-mile Honda Indy 200 uses the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course’s 2.258-mile, 13-turn natural-terrain road set-up that offers elevation changes, high-speed corners, flowing corners, tight corners, a narrow, 40-foot racing ribbon and a challenging entry to pit lane.
· This weekend’s broadcast schedule (all times ET):
· Friday, July 5 – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1, 3:20-4:35 p.m. (Peacock)
· Saturday, July 6 – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2, 10:50-11:50 a.m.; NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifications, 3-4:30 p.m. (both Peacock)
· Sunday, July 7 – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, 10:25-10:55 a.m. (Peacock); Honda Indy 200, 1:30-4 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES notes
· The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid will be the ninth race of the 2024 season. There have been six winners in eight NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Pato O’Ward (Streets of St. Petersburg), Scott Dixon (Streets of Long Beach and Streets of Detroit), Scott McLaughlin (Barber Motorsports Park), Alex Palou (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca), Josef Newgarden (Indianapolis 500) and Will Power (Road America) have all won in 2024. The modern record (1946-present) for the most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
· The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid will be the 41st INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Alex Palou won the race in 2023. Johnny Rutherford won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio, in 1980.
· Scott Dixon is the winningest INDYCAR SERIES driver at Mid-Ohio with six victories (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019). Emerson Fittipaldi won at Mid-Ohio three times, while Michael Andretti, Helio Castroneves, Teo Fabi, Josef Newgarden, Bobby Rahal, Al Unser Jr. and Alex Zanardi all won at Mid-Ohio twice. Past winners Dixon, Newgarden (2017, 2021), Graham Rahal (2015), Alexander Rossi (2018), Will Power (2020-Race-1), Colton Herta (2020-Race 2), Scott McLaughlin (2022) and Alex Palou (2023) are entered this year.
· Fifteen drivers have won the race from the pole – Mario Andretti (1984), Bobby Rahal (1985), Roberto Guerrero (1987), Teo Fabi (1989), Michael Andretti (1990, 1991), Al Unser Jr. (1994), Alex Zanardi (1996), Patrick Carpentier (2002), Paul Tracy (2003), Scott Dixon (2011), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Alexander Rossi (2018), Will Power (2020-Race 1), Colton Herta (2020-Race 2) and Josef Newgarden (2021). Power has won five poles at Mid-Ohio, the most of any driver.
· Twenty-two drivers entered in the event have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at Mid-Ohio. Scott Dixon (20) has made the most starts at Mid-Ohio among the entered drivers. Nine drivers have led laps at the track (Dixon 263, Will Power 206, Josef Newgarden 162, Alexander Rossi 71, Colton Herta 92, Alex Palou 48, Graham Rahal 30, Felix Rosenqvist 15 and Marcus Ericsson 3).
· Chip Ganassi Racing has won 12 times at Mid-Ohio, including nine of the 18 races sanctioned by INDYCAR. Ganassi’s winning drivers are Alex Zanardi (1996, 1997), Juan Pablo Montoya (1999), Scott Dixon (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014. 2019), Dario Franchitti (2010), Charlie Kimball (2013) and Alex Palou (2023).
· Team Penske also has 12 wins at the track with Emerson Fittipaldi (1992, 1993), Al Unser Jr. (1994, 1995), Helio Castroneves (2000, 2001), Ryan Briscoe (2008), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Josef Newgarden (2017, 2021), Will Power (2020-Race 1) and Scott McLaughlin (2022).
· Scott Dixon has finished in the top five in 14 of his 20 starts at Mid-Ohio, including six wins between 2007 and 2020 … Will Power has finished in the top five in 11 of his 16 starts at Mid-Ohio … Kyle Kirkwood won eight of nine development series starts from 2018-21.
· Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 331st consecutive start, extending his series record streak … Alexander Rossi will attempt to make his 140th consecutive start and become the 19th driver ever to make 140 or more consecutive NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts…Arrow McLaren will make its 500th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start this weekend.
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