IndyCar’s hybrid system was unveiled at Mid-Ohio in early July, in the middle of the 2024 season.
It has been used at every race since then and most drivers now have an overview of how to best use the system.
The general observation is that the hybrid system does not change much overall and the lap times on street and oval courses hardly change.
During the Portland weekend, where the system was used for the third time on a race track, Pato O’Ward again stated that his driving style had not changed much and he even believed that it had led to worse racing.
“I would even say that it is a simple system in Mid-Ohio. You can compare it to push to pass. Instead of using the boost from the motor, it is used from the battery pack.
“I would say there hasn’t been much change in what we need to do in the car. Obviously we need to click that button more often. I think it was a bigger factor in the race.”
“I think racing has taken a big step down if you just look at Mid-Ohio and Toronto. Guys don’t have to use their push to pass to defend themselves sometimes. That’s ultimately led to less fighting on the track. At least that’s my feeling.”
At the races in Mid-Ohio and Toronto, there were 116 and 140 overtaking maneuvers on the track, respectively, which was less than the previous year without the hybrid system.
Marcus Armstrong, who also attended Friday’s press conference, agreed with O’Ward on one point, saying that the hybrid boost in its current form will be used primarily for defense.
He also described how he was able to use the system at the World Wide Technology Raceway to hide his mistakes, which probably also prevented him from being overtaken by those behind him.
“If I’m honest, I would say it’s more of a defense mechanism than an offense, rather than a form of attack,” Armstrong said.
“For example, at Gateway, when I felt like I was coming out of a corner badly, using all of my battery would save me from being overtaken. That’s almost reassuring when you’re racing.”
If more power is added to the hybrid system in the coming years, as IndyCar plans to do, it could change the way the system is used in racing events.
Until that day comes, drivers continue to believe that the hybrid does not add much value to the racing product.
