"It's shocking and amazing" - IndyCar's new TV voices applaud FOX's groundbreaking plans for 2025 season

FOX Sports took over the responsibility of broadcasting IndyCar from NBC and has arguably made a quality addition to the prior system by bringing in a new trio of commentators. Townsend Bell, James Hinchcliffe, and Will Buxton shared their thoughts on FOX's preparations for the new season and deemed it amazing.

Bell and Hinchcliffe are former IndyCar drivers who have earned their spot on the trio of commentators due to their expertise in the American open-wheel racing series. On the other hand, Buxton gained the majority of his fame in Formula 1 before making his switch to IndyCar.

To get the commentators into the groove, FOX had planned a broadcast commentary test in Los Angeles. Moreover, as the season opener at St. Petersburg is just a few days away, the new voices of IndyCar shared their take on how FOX Sports is taking the open-wheel racing action in the US forward, as Hinchcliffe said (via IndyCar):

"We are encouraged to throw any and every idea out there. The number of things we’ve gotten to approve that I never thought we would get approved, it’s shocking and amazing. The pressure is now kind of on us to make sure the show lives up to that," Hinchcliffe was quoted as saying by IndyCar.

Bell further added how the race around the streets of St. Petersburg will feature technological advancements in the broadcast section, and commended FOX's efforts:

"We'll have drones at St. Pete for the first time. St. Pete, in particular, if you just think about the final corner that leads on to the front straightaway, the runway there at St. Pete, for so many years we analyze different racing lines through there... All of a sudden now we're going to have some tools to help us tell that story a lot better. I can't imagine how cool it'll be to have a drone following side-by-side action there," said Bell.

Lastly, Buxton revealed the duty of a commentator and how he will go around developing the narrative throughout the 2025 season and said:

"I think it's our job to hero the drivers, to tell their stories, to make people care about them, whether they come from the U.S. or they come from outside of the U.S. They all have unique stories to tell. They all have unique backgrounds as to where they've come from, what their objectives are and the influences that will be affecting them throughout the season," mentioned Buxton.

Buxton worked for F1 for over two decades in various capacities and the Manhattan-based organization was able to lure him away from the racing world in Europe.

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Will Buxton compares IndyCar to F1

Will Buxton at the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar - Source: Getty

Though the 44-year-old Buxton has spent the majority of his career covering F1, he was always intrigued by the open-wheel racing class in the US. The racing, fast-paced action with close-to-none chances of mistakes makes the premier championship reverential.

Buxton elaborated on how F1 drivers fear the IndyCar sphere, which showcases how daunting and exciting the racing world in the US is, and said (via Motorsport Magazine):

"These guys are rock stars, absolute daredevils. When you ask F1 drivers: ‘Would you go and race IndyCar?’ A lot of them say, ‘Oh, I don’t know, I think it might be a bit dangerous.’ When you have F1 guys saying ‘We’re a bit scared about IndyCar’, it shows you the level that these drivers are at. The fact that they can go out and race these things shows such tremendous skills, such incredible speeds and such brilliant race-craft as well. You look at the number of overtakes for position at every single IndyCar race, it’s just astonishing," said Buxton.

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will host the season opener on March 2. The temporary 1.8-mile track features 14 turns and a myriad of overtaking zones making the race one of the fan favorites.