Hybrid cars are the new toys in motorsports.
With the LMDhs and LMHs in WEC and IMSA, hybrids in racing have become the rave over the past year or two, and IndyCar is buying in for 2024.
The question is: how should IndyCar usher in this new era of racing in the sport?
There are many ways that IndyCar can do this, one of them being promotion, especially prior to the Indy 500.
IndyCar prior to the Indy 500 drew a ton of hype surrounding one of the biggest races on the globe, and now, with the addition of hybrid-based cars coming into play, IndyCar has a chance to attract a new market.
Yes, the opener in St. Petersburg, FL, will still bring a sizeable crowd, maybe the largest since the race’s inception, given the historical moment that will be at hand in the season opener, but IndyCar has a chance around the Indy 500 to be able to highlight the new innovative developments they have made to their cars in terms of the hybrids, which could propel them to a greater following, especially post-500.
The one upside that IndyCar has over IMSA and WEC’s hybrid developments is that it has an established brand.
Although it has changed, IndyCar has built a reputation in the States as being one of the best series in US motorsports, bringing in some of the world’s top names in racing.
While IMSA and WEC do that in their own respective series, the amount of backing and general fan support for IMSA and WEC is negligible compared to a series such as IndyCar, which has a more concrete following across the US.
Also, with the transition from Nashville to the season finale, IndyCar is stepping things up in order to build not only more intrigue surrounding their series but to be able to help drive more interest, especially around these new machines.
If IMSA and WEC told us anything, it was that IndyCar could be in for a wild season.
If IndyCar has a year that sees teams on an even playing field in terms of the growing process of learning these new hybrids, we could see a handful of different winners on the grid, which is not only good for the sport and competition but also creates a spectacle and excitement for fans to watch each week.
