Penske ace Josef Newgarden tells Danica Patrick what makes current IndyCar difficult to drive around IMS

Two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden has offered insight into why the current generation of IndyCar machines is proving more difficult to drive around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 34-year-old recently shared his thoughts during a conversation with Danica Patrick following the conclusion of the first round of qualifying.

The Team Penske driver, who is one of the favourites to clinch the 2025 edition of the Indy 500, detailed the unique challenges that follow when driving the current generation of IndyCar around the famed oval course—challenges that have contributed to a series of crashes during the qualifying weekend. Quizzed about why the cars are so difficult to drive by Patrick during the post-race show via IndyCar on FOX, the Nashville native stated:

“I’ve got to say, the speeds are more than I predicted. I think tomorrow’s going to be an even better weather day. We might flirt with the speeds we had last year—we might tick into the 234s—but just trying to do it at 233 with this car now, it’s 100 pounds heavier. You’ve obviously got the hybrid assist, so you’ve got the extra power to make up for it, but because the weight is up by 100 pounds…

This thing feels more like an airplane now. When the wind gets underneath it, it’s crazy—you know, if it wants to rotate around on you, it wants to do it with double the magnitude of what it did before. Same thing when it wants to go into the wall. So you have to be way ahead of the car, even more so than you were last year. You see people running more downforce. This is by far the trickiest I can ever remember Indianapolis being for me in qualifying, and I think you’re seeing that today.” (1:11 onwards)

The current-day IndyCar machines have undergone significant technological advancements to keep up with the demands of modern motorsport. However, what stands out most among all the innovations is the hybrid engine technology, making its debut at the Indy 500 this year.

The hybrid system, although offering drivers additional power, has introduced a new layer of handling complexity, which has contributed to the spate of incidents witnessed during qualifying.

Josef Newgarden, for his part, appears to be well in sync with the peculiarities of the hybrid engine. While he did not set the fastest lap, the two-time Indy 500 winner was able to put his Penske car in third place ahead of the next round of qualifying.

Josef Newgarden speaks about winning his third Indy 500 title

Josef Newgarden after winning the 2024 Indianapolis 500 title - Source: Getty

Josef Newgarden recently touched on the possibility of winning his third Indy 500 title. The 34-year-old enters this year’s edition of ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ on the cusp of history, as he could become the first driver ever to win the Borg-Warner Trophy three years in a row.

The former Ed Carpenter Racing driver, however, downplayed expectations of him winning the Indy 500 crown, stressing that a failure to achieve this feat would not make his outing at the Brickyard any less successful. Sharing his thoughts via the media outlet IndyStar, Newgarden stated:

“I've told people that if you focus on the end result, you're missing the point that you've already succeeded so much by just being here. You get here, you qualify, you’re on the grid — you are already winning in so many ways.

"That’s what I feel when I show up and try to remind myself of that. It doesn’t matter that we’ve won it a couple of times — I'm just still thankful to be here and to have another shot.”

Josef Newgarden’s two triumphs at the Indy 500 have largely unfolded in dramatic fashion. His maiden win in 2023 required a last-lap overtake on Marcus Ericsson on the final stretch of the back straight to clinch victory. The 2024 edition was no less nail-biting, as he completed another daring pass heading into Turn 3 on the final lap, overtaking Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward to secure his second win at the famed oval course.

Whether Newgarden will be able to claim a third consecutive win at the Indy 500 remains a question only time will answer.