IR28 impresses as Rossi completes first validation test at Indy

It looks so much better in person than the renders suggested upon the Dallara IR28’s reveal on Tuesday.

The prototype ran without any significant problems for its first meaningful day of validation testing with Alexander Rossi on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

And it was remarkably capable, turning an unofficial best lap in the 1m12.6s range during 40-ish laps of action on Saturday while using a lower-power 2022-spec Ilmor 2.4-liter twin-turbo V6 without the added punch from the hybrid — ballast was placed in the IR28 to simulate the weight — to give a serious representation of the car’s full capabilities. With the track still damp in some places from persistent rain, it was remarkably fast, within about a second of the best primary-tire run from May’s Indy road course event, with all of the track condition and car spec caveats to consider.

In fact, this weekend’s testing has nothing to do with lap times and high performance; the validation runs are the equivalent of a plane’s first flight, where all of the systems are put through the paces and checked for function. With the 2028-level engine power, plus the hybrid power and the absence of rain, the IR28 has the potential to out-perform the current Dallara DW12 IndyCar chassis without much effort.

Despite the relative lack of next-generation combustion engine grunt and no hybrid power, Rossi was highly encouraged by what he experienced inside the first IR28 prototype.

“I’ve been a part of some new car launches before, and I can’t say that any have gone as smooth as this one has,” Rossi said shortly after thunder and lightning brought a premature end to Saturday’s test. “That’s down to everyone involved. We’ve all been waiting for this for a long time. Drivers, fans, teams, sponsors and all of you have been looking forward to it, and now it’s finally here. It’s like Christmas morning.”

Rossi did four outings in the morning before rain intervened and waited until the middle of the afternoon before IMS was able to clear the large volumes of standing water from the track, as serious rains began to fall just after lunch. Other than a brief issue with a sensor, the 2016 Indy 500 winner was uninterrupted throughout the run plans established by Dallara and IndyCar.

WATCH: Marshall Pruett and Alexander Rossi recap day one of testing for the IR28 at IMS

“It's hard to do a full comparison because of the conditions we were dealing with, but everything you could hope for from a day like today was accomplished,” he said. “The fact that the car is completely new and the only real issue we had was replacing one sensor is phenomenal. That’s a huge testament to Dallara, IndyCar and everyone involved. The car has a lot of incredible qualities that we haven’t even scratched the surface of yet. It was an incredible start and just a joy to drive.”

Rossi is also a fan of the car’s looks and potential.

“Aesthetically, it ticks every box you could hope for,” he said. “I was blown away the first time I saw it. The pictures don’t do it justice. The presence it has in person is pretty amazing. It looks aggressive, and even with a completely new chassis, new aerodynamics, new electronics and a spec damper package, the baseline was very comfortable from the get-go. There’s obviously a lot more to unlock, but it was a great starting point.”

Weather permitting, Alex Palou will finish the test on Sunday as Honda’s chosen representative in a window of running scheduled for 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET.