- Hybrid engines initially planned to be introduced for 2023
- Power unit will not solely rely on recovering energy from braking
IndyCar president Jay Frye has confirmed that the series will continue with its plans to introduce hybrid engines in the 2024 season following parts supply issues.
The original aim was to introduce hybrid technology in time for the start of the 2023 campaign, but global parts supply issues meant this had to be postponed by a year.
Frye has confirmed to Motorsport.com that, while there is concern about the deadline, the series is still on track to deliver on this expectation.
“There is a global supply chain issue for everything, so doing anything new now has been a little more of a challenge,” said Frye. “It seems to be getting better. I mean, we're launching this in 2024, so we were in a little bit of a panic because it will be here before you know it. But we feel good about where we're at with the programme.
“What we've tried to do is create a unique system to IndyCar. Because of the diversity of the calendar, there's certain things from a safety perspective that maybe other series can do with a hybrid that we can't. So we've come up with something we think is pretty unique [but] we haven't really announced it.
“It'll be lighter than most, it'll have more horsepower than most, it'll be safer than most. So that's part of the things taking a little while, too, as we're kind of inventing something that's kind of unique and new, which is cool. Hopefully, what we come up with is something that could be great in street cars.
“[The process] really hasn't taken longer [than expected], it's just run late, because of everything going on in the world. Like, 2020 was about survival – how are we gonna run races? It wasn't about developing anything. So it took a little while to get caught back up and get going again. In 2021 it was better, but it still wasn't normal, and 2022 was pretty normal. Now we're hoping by 2023 we're back to normal.”
According to Motorsport.com, the details of the hybrid system are likely to be announced in the new year, while Frye is confident the system will be able to be used on ovals due to the fact the hybrid unit will not solely rely on regenerating energy under braking.