The 2020 Indianapolis 500 (branded as the 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge[1]) is an IndyCar Series event scheduled for Sunday, August 23, 2020, at the Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayinSpeedway, Indiana.[2] The race is the premier event of the 2020 IndyCar Series, with 500 miles and a total of 200 laps. Simon Pagenaud is the defending race winner. The 2020 running will be the first time the race is not held in May.[3]
Race background
The Pagoda, the control tower which houses officials, broadcasting, and hospitality suites, is an icon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Sponsorship
On January 31, 2019, it was announced that the online financial services company Gainbridge would become the new presenting sponsor of the 500 under a four-year deal. This will be the second year under the current deal.[4]
Safety changes
On May 24, 2019, it was announced that IndyCar Series will introduce cockpit protection combining an aeroscreen and Halo from 2020 season onward. The cockpit protection will be built by Red Bull Advanced Technologies. The combination of aeroscreen and halo is designed to improve safety standards by deflecting debris away from a driver's head and was originally developed for use in Formula One and IndyCar before its application was expanded to other open-wheel championships.[5]
Ownership changes
On November 3, 2019, it was announced that Penske Entertainment Corp., a subsidiary of the Penske Corporation, owned by Roger Penske, had purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the IndyCar Series, and IMS Productions. Penske, owner of Team Penske will step down as full time-race strategist and focus on the new ownership roles.[6] The sale was finalized in January 2020.
Qualifying changes
The Last Row Shootout will be expanded to a 75-minute session in order to allow multiple qualifying attempts for each participant. In the previous year participants in the shootout were permitted only one attempt.[7]
For practice on Fast Friday (August 14) and during time trials (August 15–16), turbocharger boost settings will be increased to allow an additional 45 horsepower. Engines will be permitted 150 kPaofturbocharger "boost". Engines are allowed 130 kPa of "boost" on race day and during all other practice sessions.[8]
Rule changes
Teams will be permitted seven crew members over-the-wall servicing the car during pit stops. This is up from six utilized from 1988 to 2019. The sole purpose of the seventh member is to clean or remove tear-offs from the new aeroscreen. Teams will be allowed four tire changers, one fueler, one pnuematicjack operator, and one aeroscreen attendant. The aeroscreen attendant is not permitted to service any other part of the car.[9]
Grid penalties for unapproved engine changes have been reinstated for the 2020 season. However, no penalties will be served at the Indianapolis 500. Penalties from Mid-Ohio, or penalties incurred at the 500 will be enforced at St. Louis.[10]
Schedule
On March 12, 2020, the Speedway announced that the threat of the coronavirus pandemic had not yet caused any changes to the proposed schedule.[11] One day later on March 13, IndyCar officials announced that the first four races of the 2020 IndyCar season would be cancelled, along with the open test at Indianapolis scheduled for April 30.[12] On March 18, it was announced that the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon scheduled for May 2 would not be held.[13]
On March 26, the series announced the delay of the 2020 Indianapolis 500 to Sunday, August 23. The GMR Grand Prix will be held Saturday, July 4, as part of the Brickyard 400 weekend.[14]
* Includes days where track activity was significantly limited due to rain
Original schedule
The original schedule for the 2020 Indianapolis 500 was released in early 2020.[15]
Open test: April 30
GMR Grand Prix (road course): May 8–9
Practice: May 12–15
Time trials: May 16–17
Post-qualifying practice: May 18
Carb Day: May 22
Legends Day: May 23
Race day: May 24
Testing
Aeroscreen test – October 2019
The series conducted an official evaluation test on October 2, 2019, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Two teams tested the new aeroscreen developed by Red Bull Advanced Technologies. The cockpit safety device is scheduled to be implemented for the 2020 season. Scott Dixon and Will Power collectively drove more than 600 miles worth of laps, and the test yielded mostly positive results.[16][17]
Four IndyCar rookies took part in an oval acclimation test at Texas Motor Speedway on February 14. Oliver Askew, Álex Palou, Rinus VeeKay, and Scott McLaughlin took part in the test, which was conducted by IndyCar officials. The test provided the drivers with high-speed oval experience prior to the start of the Rookie Orientation Program. Veterans Josef Newgarden and Ed Carpenter also took laps, doing further evaluations of the new aeroscreens. Cold temperatures delayed the start of the test, but a total of five hours of track time was available. No incidents were reported.[18]
Open test
A full field open test was scheduled for Thursday, April 30.[19] However, the test was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.[12] With the rescheduled date, INDYCAR has not announced if an open test will be available before the rescheduled date, as the race would be the penultimate oval race for 2020. The original date of the race would have made it the first of five oval races; with the revisions, this would become the fifth of six, and drivers will have participated in the Texas Motor Speedway round, which is another high-speed superspeedway race, which would assist INDYCAR in rookie orientation procedures for the 2020 race that may be modified because of previous experience at Texas. This is the first time since 2010 (Kansas) that there was a superspeedway race held before the Indianapolis 500.
Scott Dixon
Will Power
