IndyCar announced in February that it was delaying the start of its 2.4-litre hybrid era by a year, due to a supply chain issue with the hybrid components from Mahle. Since then a 2.4-litre engine from each manufacturer, Chevrolet and Honda, has been tested on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with Penske and Ganassi respectively, but not yet with the hybrid system installed.
The increase in size of the engine alone will add 11lbs (5kg) to a car already considered overweight, especially since the introduction of the aeroscreen in 2020 added 60lbs (27.2kg). Now, as IndyCar aims to get the 2024 car down to the weight it is now, a next-gen aeroscreen is part of the planned solution.
