The IndyCar series, led by Roger Penske, will switch to a new, lighter chassis starting in the 2028 season – The ancient 2012 version is now history
During qualifying for the 2025 Road America race, the IndyCar series presented an official update on the planned new chassis to be introduced for the 2028 season. Team bosses had previously been informed of the plans in an internal meeting.
“The time is right for a new chassis in the IndyCar Series,” said IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles in a statement. “The DW12 has provided the series with many years of great wheel-to-wheel racing and, at the same time, important advances in safety. However, recent, far-reaching updates to the car – from the aero screen to the hybrid unit – have made it clear that a completely new car is needed.”
The new vehicle is set to be tested on the track from early 2026 and will make its championship debut in 2028. Among other things, a weight reduction of around 39 to 45 kilograms is planned – including eleven kilograms alone thanks to a new gearbox – as well as a switch to a 2.4-liter V6 biturbo engine, which will continue to be combined with a hybrid unit. Currently, 2.2-liter V6 biturbo engines are used.
Dallara remains chassis supplier
There were no surprises among the suppliers: Dallara will continue to build the chassis as it has done since 1997 and thus remains the exclusive partner of the series – the Italian manufacturer has been the sole supplier of the IndyCar series vehicle since 2008. The new design will combine classic IndyCar elements with a fresh look that will also appeal to younger fans.
The transmission will once again come from Xtrac, which has been supplying all IndyCar teams since 2000. The new unit for 2028 will be eleven kilograms lighter and will also share components with the future gearbox for the IndyNXT junior series, which should be particularly beneficial for teams involved in both series. The braking system will once again be supplied by Performance Friction Corporation (PFC), which has been the exclusive partner since 2017.
A key element remains the hybrid technology introduced to the series in 2024. The new concept provides for extended energy recovery and delivery as well as higher performance gains. At the same time, the new car is designed to offer better drivability in all four track categories – road courses, street courses, short ovals, and superspeedways.
Safety is also a key focus: in addition to an advanced aeroscreen structure, IndyCar is planning a redesigned, more ergonomic cockpit with an improved seating position for drivers and a newly designed roll bar. The current generation was retrofitted with the aeroscreen in 2020, which has since established itself as a groundbreaking advance in driver protection.
Further information and renderings to follow
Renderings of the new car and further technical details will be released at a later date. The project is one of a series of developments related to the IndyCar series.
Among other things, the new TV contract with FOX has seen a 27 percent increase in viewership in the current 2025 season, with an average of two million viewers per race. In addition, an extension with tire partner Firestone was announced, as well as new events in Arlington, Texas, starting in 2026 and the takeover of the prestigious Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach by Penske Entertainment.
The current chassis was introduced in 2012 and is therefore over ten years old. In 2015, manufacturers were still allowed to develop their own aerokits for it, and in 2018 the standard package was introduced. In 2020, the Aeroscreen was added to the chassis, which is not yet integrated into the design. Finally, in 2024, the hybrid found its way into the car. A new chassis offers the IndyCar series the opportunity to better integrate all these innovations into an overall concept.
