The IndyCar Series welcomes a new era as the much-anticipated hybrid power unit makes its official race debut at the 13-turn, a 2.258-mile permanent road course in Lexington, Ohio.
In collaboration with Chevrolet and Honda, the first-of-its-kind hybrid will pair the existing 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V6 internal combustion engine with supercapacitor hybrid technology.
A low-voltage (48V) motor generator unit (MGU) is paired to an energy storage system (ESS), both of which fit into the bellhousing between the engine and the gearbox. The MGU builds power that is stored in the ESS’ 20 supercapacitors. The additional horsepower is deployed through the same motor generator on drivers’ demand.
The hybrid power unit (280 kilojoules per lap at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course) will be available in addition to traditional push-to-pass on road and street circuits (200 seconds at a maximum of 20 seconds per push at Mid-Ohio). Used simultaneously, the package will provide an additional 120-plus horsepower on driver demand for a total of over 800 horsepower possible.
There have been six different winners in the eight points-paying races of the 2024 season: Pato O’Ward (St. Petersburg*), Scott Dixon (Long Beach, Detroit), Scott McLaughlin (Barber), Alex Palou (Indianapolis Road Course, Laguna Seca), Josef Newgarden (Indianapolis 500) and Will Power (Road America). The record for the most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
*O’Ward was awarded the win after Newgarden’s disqualification for illegal use of overtake.
This will be the 41st IndyCar Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Johnny Rutherford won the first IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio in 1980.
Dixon comes in as the winningest IndyCar driver at Mid-Ohio with six victories (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019). Other former winners in the field includes Newgarden (2017, 2021), Graham Rahal (2015), Alexander Rossi (2018), Power (2020-Race-1), Herta (2020-Race 2), Scott McLaughlin (2022) and Palou (2023).
Fifteen drivers have won the race from the pole: Mario Andretti (1984), Bobby Rahal (1985), Roberto Guerrero (1987), Teo Fabi (1989), Michael Andretti (1990, 1991), Al Unser Jr. (1994), Alex Zanardi (1996), Patrick Carpentier (2002), Paul Tracy (2003), Dixon (2011), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Rossi (2018), Power (2020-Race 1), Herta (2020-Race 2) and Newgarden (2021). Power has won five poles at Mid-Ohio, the most of any driver.
Will Power, Team Penske Chevrolet
Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
When is the IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio?
Date: Friday, July 5 – Sunday, July 7
Race start: 1:30 p.m. ET
Track: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a 13-turn, a 2.258-mile permanent road course in Lexington, Ohio
Race distance: 80 laps (180.64 miles)
Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 280 kilojoules (kj) per lap.
Firestone tire allotment: Six sets primary, four sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams must use one set of primary and one new set of alternate tires unless wet conditions are declared. One additional set is available for the weekend’s first session to teams fielding a rookie driver.
Qualifying lap record: Simon Pagenaud, 1:03.8700, 127.271 mph (July 30, 2016)
Marcus Ericsson, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Felix Rosenqvist, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, crash, start
Photo by: Phillip Abbott / Motorsport Images
How can I watch the IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio on TV?
This year’s edition of IndyCar at Mid-Ohio will begin on Sunday at 1:30pm ET on NBC, with the Indy NXT race streaming live Sunday morning at 11:25am on Peacock.
Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the Firestone the Honda Indy 200, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry and Charlie Kimball are the pit reporters.
IndyCar and Indy NXT broadcast schedule (Eastern Time)
Friday, July 5
2:05-2:55 p.m. – Indy NXT Practice 1, INDYCAR Live
3:20-4:35 p.m. – IndyCar Series Practice 1, Peacock
Saturday, July 6
9:40-10:25 a.m. – Indy NXT Practice 2, INDYCAR Live
10:50-11:50 a.m. – IndyCar Series Practice 2 (45 minutes of green flag or 60 total minutes), Peacock
2:05-2:35 p.m. – Indy NXT Qualifying (Two groups, 12 minutes each), INDYCAR Live
3-4:30 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), Peacock
Sunday, July 7
10:25-10:55 a.m. – IndyCar Series Final Practice, Peacock
11:20 a.m. – Indy NXT Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio command to start engines
11:25 a.m. – Indy NXT Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock
1:05 p.m. – Driver introductions
1:46 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid command to start engines
1:53 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid (80 laps/180.64 miles), NBC (live)
How can I listen to IndyCar at Mid-Ohio on the radio?
Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query and Nick Yeoman are the turn announcers. Michael Young, Alex Wollf and DJ Clark are the pit reporters.
The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid race (1 p.m. ET Sunday), Indy NXT Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio (11:10 a.m. ET Sunday) and all IndyCar and Indy NXT practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 218, racecontrol.indycar.com and the IndyCar App.
Entry List for the 2024 edition of the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio
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