From the time the checkered flag waved at the 2022 edition of the Indianapolis 500 until now, the IndyCar series took to examining what it could do to make the oval-track racing package better, which usually means faster, closer and more exciting. But they also didn’t want to make the racing easier—or too easy—because, after all, over 500 miles, it’s still supposed to be the Brickyard, and it’s not supposed to be easy.
So for 2023, and specifically the Indy 500, there’s a new aero package that includes mandatory stability braids, 3-degrees more adjustability for the rear wing, a braided underwing and inner underwings. (Wickers, for those unfamiliar, can add downforce by increasing pressure on the pressure side of a wing, and reducing pressure on the suction side.) In addition, IndyCar talked tire partner Bridgestone/Firestone into bringing a tire that also has a slightly higher degradation factor than previous variants of their tires, which are usually known to stay gripped far longer than expected.
The result?
“It’s not a big draggy wicker on the wing or anything,” Team Penske’s Will Power said in a media conference after setting the fastest time in Monday’s practice. “It’s the closest I’ve ever been to running a car in this place without any problems.
“It would be ridiculous to have enough downforce for everyone to pass, but the only thing is that it’s tire grade, so I think it will make for good racing in the pack.”
Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward disagrees, telling NBC Sports “The aero bits don’t seem to have done anything for racing. It’s not ideal when you’re running 10th or 11th in a pack, or even with when you’re sixth or seventh. You can’t do anything.”
Power explained that he believed the true difference for Sunday’s race will likely be the degradation of the tires, explaining that “the left sides are softer. They vibrate easier when the tire degrades. … I haven’t had a set without a vibration yet. I have had a couple that have been massive and you have to pit and I’ve had a couple – the last one I just did a full stint but it’s still [on] there. It is [completely] left side – left front and left rear. Depends on which slides are the most.
“I think it makes for better racing. … Yeah, on a good warm day I think it will be a good race.”
How to watch the 107th Indianapolis 500
- Date: Sunday, March 28
- Placement: 2.5 miles (4.02 kilometers), four-turn Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Time: Sunday – 11 a.m. ET
- TV: NBC, Peacock, Universo
- Current: fuboTV (try free)
What to look for
Speeds out of Friday’s Carb Day, the traditional final practice for the Indy 500, had the usual suspects again at the top of the speed charts. Takuma Sato and Scott Dixon led a Chip Ganassi Racing 1-2, and Power was third fastest to follow with his fastest time out from Monday’s practice. Carb Day was also a little more aggressive than Monday, with many drivers going three cars wide and taking things a little deeper into the corners than they had. Does that set up for a crazy Indy 500 on Sunday? Guess we’ll have to watch to find out.
Carb Day Speeds
- Takuma Sato, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda, 227.885 mph
- Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda, 227,285
- Will Power, Team Penske, Chevrolet, 226,953
- Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda, 226,945
- Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Autosport, Honda, 226.872
- Agustin Canapino, Juncos Hollinger, Honda, 226,532
- Colton Herta, Andretti Autosport, Honda, 226,300
- Romain Grosjean, Andretti Autosport, Honda, 226,286
- Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, Chevrolet, 226,766
- Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, Chevrolet, 225.565
- Tony Kanaan, Arrow McLaren SP, Chevrolet, 225,400
- Conor Daly, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet, 225,378
- Jack Harvey, Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan, Honda, 225,251
- Alexander Rossi, Arrow McLaren SP, Chevrolet, 225,233
- Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren SP, Chevrolet, 225.114
- David Malukas, Dale Coyne Racing, Honda, 225,019
- Benjamin Pedersen, AJ Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet, 224,905
- Marcus Ericsson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda, 224,751
- Marco Andretti, Andretti Autosport, Honda, 224,702
- Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing, Honda, 224,659
- Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet, 224,627
- Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dreyer & Reinbold, Chevrolet, 224,519
- Sting Ray Robb, Dale Coyne Racing, Honda 224.158
- Simon Pagenaud, Meyer Shank Racing, Honda, 224,094
- Christian Lundgaard, Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan, Honda, 223,996
- Devlin DeFrancesco, Andretti Steinbrenner, Honda, 223,838
- RC Enerson, Abel Motorsports, Chevrolet, 223,814
- Felix Rosenqvist, Arrow McLaren SP, Chevrolet, 223,783
- Katherine Legge, Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan, Honda, 223,562
- Graham Rahal, Dreyer & Reinbold, Chevrolet, 223,491
- Santino Ferrucci, AJ Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet, 223,444
- Callum Ilott, Juncos Hollinger, Honda, 222.265
- Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet, 222,166