IndyCar: Today’s IndyCar much slower than 21-year-old IndyCar

We have heard the complaints.  Scott Dixon, for example, calls today’s IndyCars a junior race formula – slow and overweight.

Just how slow are today’s IndyCars?

Let’s look at the 4.0-mile Road America lap times now vs IndyCars 21 years ago under CART

2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet) 1:46.0168, 136.301 mph

Qualifying lap record, CART IndyCar Series August 19, 2000: Dario Franchitti (#27 Team KOOL Green Reynard-Honda), 1:39.866, 145.924 mph, Aug. 19, 2000

6.15 seconds per lap slower than a 21-year-old CART IndyCar.  In other words, it’s like watching paint dry, and it’s embarrassing.

Will the new more powerful hybrid engines help?

Maybe, but the added weight of the battery plus electric motor may offset any HP gains.

Time will tell if modern day IndyCars ever reach the performance of IndyCars in their heyday.