Palou calls CGR’s INDY NXT cars “plenty fast” after significant test

Eds Note: This article and its assets can be used in whole or part without copyright violation

INDIANAPOLIS -- Five-time INDYCAR Series champion Alex Palou praised Chip Ganassi Racing’s INDY NXT cars as “plenty fast” after testing with the team, offering valuable feedback as Ganassi continues building its development program for next season.

Palou’s assessment provided an important early validation for CGR’s relatively young INDY NXT program. The four-time defending INDYCAR champion evaluated the cars, explored setup directions and helped the team identify ways to improve performance ahead of its next campaign.

For a relatively young program, Palou said the most important takeaway was confirmation that the cars have the speed needed to compete.

“I think one of the keys today was to see if the cars were fast or not,” Palou said. “So yeah, they are fast. Plenty fast.”

The test gave Ganassi engineers an opportunity to gather feedback from one of the most accomplished drivers in INDYCAR history. Palou approached the session with the goal of exploring different setups and identifying areas where the team could improve performance.

“We basically wanted also to try very different directions and strategies to see what’s good and what’s not for next year,” Palou said.

Although Palou is accustomed to the more powerful INDYCAR, he found similarities between the two cars while also identifying significant differences that required adjustments to his driving style.

“The car is different but similar to the INDYCAR at the same time,” Palou said. “I struggled a lot on the brakes because they’re not carbon, they’re steel. Not as much downforce, and the cockpit is super small compared to what I’m used to.”

Palou said he initially tried to make the INDY NXT car respond more like his INDYCAR, eventually finding a setup direction that delivered both comfort and speed.

“We got the direction that I really liked, that I was comfortable with, that was fast as well,” he said.

The test took place in challenging conditions, with a damp track and cold temperatures complicating the early running. Despite those obstacles, Palou said the team made productive use of the day.

“I think it was great for the team to get different directions of how we can make this car faster,” he said. “It was a good day.”

Palou also praised the combination of drivers involved in the test, including Alessandro de Tullio, and said he hoped his experience could provide valuable insight as the organization continues developing its INDY NXT program.

“I think we just had a great combination of drivers and experiences,” Palou said. “I hope I helped them a little bit. I was open to them as much as they wanted."

For Palou, the opportunity to contribute to Ganassi’s development program was reason enough to climb into an unfamiliar race car, even if it meant attending a drivers meeting as a rookie alongside younger competitors.

“I love driving, and I love helping the team,” Palou said. “If this helps a little bit the team, I’ll be super happy, and I would be driving whatever car that CGR owns.”

And while Palou joked about potentially competing in both series next season, his biggest contribution may have already come from the test itself: validating the competitiveness of Ganassi’s INDY NXT cars while helping the team identify ways to make them even faster.