A cast list of drivers largely staying the same, and largely in the same places, might lead you to expect the 2023 IndyCar season to be a rerun of 2022. This belief could be compounded by the fact that the campaign ahead will be the 12th for the 2.2-litre twin-turbo V6s from Chevrolet and Honda, the sixth for the universal aerokit, and the fourth for the aeroscreen. Even the schedule is largely the same, aside from Detroit’s race switching from Belle Isle to a new 1.7-mile course in downtown Motown.
But it’s the very tightness of the formula that from year to year can nudge the narrative in a different direction, according to mini breakthroughs with engine, aerodynamics, shocks and dampers. For example, who would have expected in the twilight of the current engine era that Chevrolet could gain such a noticeable edge for 2022 so that it could take 11 wins and 13 poles from 17 races after four straight years of defeat in the manufacturers’ championship? Did anyone foresee Andretti Autosport suddenly becoming strong on the Indy road course – formerly its bete noire – yet lose its previous superiority on street courses as Penske caught up?
