Honda’s IndyCar team has been powered by a single-turbo engine for the last two years, but new Series regulations require all vehicles to be powered by twin turbochargers moving forward. Some would argue that this would give nameplates like Chevy, who has been racing with twin turbochargers for a couple years, a distinct advantage in this upcoming season, but there is no lacking in confidence when it comes to the performance of the all-new twin-turbo Honda IndyCar engine.
Honda IndyCar
The new Honda IndyCar engine has already undergone extensive testing, including at Fontana and twice at the Sebring road course, and Honda Performance Development technical director Roger Griffiths is pleased with the results, which stack up well next to last year’s powertrain.
“We had evolved the 2013 spec engine with a single turbo to a very high level of development so we had a very high bar that we had set for ourselves in terms of drivability and response and those kinds of things,” said Griffiths.
“We were pleasantly surprised by the rate at which we reached the same sort of level of performance with the 2014 engine given that it was all kind of new.”
It was reported that the engine looked good during 65 laps at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California back in September. The 2014 IndyCar series begins March 30 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Do you think the new Honda IndyCar engine will be able to compete with the likes of Chevy who benefit from a head start? Let us know in the comments below!
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