“It hasn’t changed much”: When Colton Herta shared his thoughts on IndyCar’s new generation racecars

Colton Herta was IndyCar's most successful driver in the second half of the 2024 season after the series introduced the new hybrid system. He found himself in a flow state with new-gen cars and secured seven Top 5 finishes in the last nine races, including two victories.

For comparison, championship winner Alex Palou secured six Top 5 finishes in that period, including three P2 finishes. During the Milwaukee Mile weekend in September, Colton Herta spoke about the hybrid system and how it didn't quite affect his driving (via americancarsandracing.com):

"Driving-wise, it hasn't changed much for us. It's a little bit more strategy with what we get to play with, but it's a fun thing to get one."

A new benefit of the hybrid technology was added horsepower, which helped create overtaking records at the World Wide Technology Raceway, the Milwaukee Mile and the Nashville Superspeedway. On road and street circuits, the hybrid assist could be used in conjunction with the push-to-pass to gain an extra 120 hp boost.

When asked if he found any difficulty juggling between the hybrid assist and the push-to-pass, the the No. 26 Andretti Global driver replied:

"It's really straightforward. I think the first time you do it, it's a little bit different. But now that we've been doing it for a while, it's just like shifting the car or pressing the throttle. It kinda comes naturally."

Herta also spoke about one downside of the hybrid system, which added 105 pounds to the car. He found this increase in the weight of modern Indy cars and the 'skewed' power-to-weight ratio troubling.

In December, two-time defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden also spoke about the need for a lighter car when the new 2027 chassis is introduced.

---

How Colton Herta fared in the IndyCar hybrid tests in February and June

Colton Herta at the 107th Indianapolis 500 - Source: Getty

In February, Andretti Global, Arrow McLaren, Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Penske tested the new hybrid system at the 2.21-mile road course at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Colton Herta, who completed over 100 laps, expressed his satisfaction with the new power unit (via IndyCar):

"The car and hybrid system have made huge gains over the last few months as far as reliability and performance. It adds an interesting element for the drivers. There’s still a lot to learn from it, but from the testing we’ve done, it seems like it will make racing a bit more interesting. It gives us drivers more crucial decisions to make inside the car."

In another test in June at the Iowa Speedway, the 24-year-old emerged as the fastest driver on the track with a time of 16.954 seconds. Although he didn't find much change driving-wise, some of his peers disagreed.

After the first race with the hybrid system at Mid-Ohio, Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward found the new car's balance to be more sensitive and challenging. Defending champ Alex Palou also spoke about the dicey decisions that drivers would have to make regarding deploying the hybrid assist.

Colton Herta, though, was relatively at ease, which reflected in his performances. The Andretti Global driver eventually finished second in the 2024 standings with 513 points, his best career finish.