Palou and Rossi praise IndyCar's new car after first test weekend

Alex Palou and Alexander Rossi came away impressed after the first validation test of IndyCar’s new IR28 chassis at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a strong early signal for a car the series plans to introduce in 2028. Their reactions matter far beyond the garage, because the first judgments from two of the sport’s most experienced front-runners can shape how teams, engineers, sponsors and fans view the next generation of IndyCar racing.

IndyCar revealed the new-for-2028 chassis on July 28, calling it Dallara’s Indy Racing 28. IndyCar president Doug Boles framed the project as a turning point for the series, saying, “We are pleased to unveil renderings of the new chassis that will take our sport into an exciting new era.” The first on-track test followed immediately, with Palou and Rossi driving the car on Saturday and Sunday at Indianapolis.

That early feedback matters because new race cars are judged on more than lap time. Engineers want data. Teams want predictability. Drivers want confidence that the car will respond properly in traffic, under braking and through high-speed corners, where small changes can decide whether a race opens up or locks into place. Palou and Rossi were useful barometers because both could compare the IR28 with IndyCar’s current machinery from inside the cockpit, then identify whether the changes felt meaningful, manageable and competitive.

Palou’s own comments after the second day suggested the car may already have speed to match its promise. He expected track records to fall with the IR28, a sign that the new package could be not only easier to race, but quick enough to alter the pace ceiling at a familiar venue like Indianapolis. For IndyCar, that combination of speed and control is central to the sport’s pitch: a car that can refresh the product without making racing more expensive or harder to follow.

IndyCar also moved quickly to amplify the first impressions, posting video of Palou’s first laps in the IR-28 on August 2. More testing and refinement will follow, but the first weekend gave the new chassis an important start. If the praise from Palou and Rossi holds up, the IR28 could arrive with something every new race car needs before full competition use: confidence from the drivers who know immediately when a machine can produce the kind of racing fans will notice.