IndyCar is set to continue the development of its new hybrid powertrains despite the coronavirus pandemic having put the series on hold.
IndyCar will be switching to 900-plus horsepower 2.4-litre turbo V6 engines and Kinetic energy recovery systems in 2022. However, when the covid-19 situation put the season on pause, many assumed that it would come with a delay of the new engines.
But as reported by RACER.com, IndyCar president Jay Frye believes the series will roll out with its next-generation engine as anticipated ahead of the 2022 season.
“We’re working on things in the shorter term to save our teams money this year, and have a longer lead time to our technical changes in 2022 than some series who had plans to do something new for 2021,” Frye told RACER.
“So we’re monitoring the situation, but there’s nothing we’re seeing that says to change course.”
Both Formula One and NASCAR were both set to introduce new technical regulations for 2021, but were subsequently delayed as the global situation worsened.
“We’re all looking forward to going racing again, and our next big initiative is with hybrid powertrains, which is where a lot of our partners are focused.”