What does it take to become an IndyCar driver? All you need to know

IndyCar is one of the most grueling motorsport categories of the world. Drivers of no other racing series are accustomed to going 240 mph around an oval for over 200 laps. With hundreds of world-class drivers competing for less than 30 full-time seats, only the crème de la crème makes it.

Let us look at what junior drivers need to do to ascend to America's top open-wheel racing series by dividing the requirements into two categories: series-level requirement which includes license, and driver-level requirements like fitness, mindset, maximum weight limit, media training and preferably, finance.

IndyCar's introduction of clear license requirements in 2018

In 2018, IndyCar introduced a new license system, which was a more formalized version on an existing system. The catalyst for this move was people questioning IndyCar about what drivers need to enter the series. IndyCar President Jay Frye explained it in simple words with a comparison to NASCAR. He said (via Autoweek):

"When Danica Patrick went from IndyCar to Cup, she had to run an ARCA car at Daytona or before she could run the Daytona 500 or at that time, a Xfinity Series race. It’s just a guideline based on some questions we’ve been asked. There is a moving target with different skill levels and abilities. But it’s purely a guideline. It’s a more formal process than we’ve had before. You can’t address everything, everywhere. There are lots of ways to get here, so you set a guideline as to what an approach would be."

He also addressed the queries of younger aspiring IndyCar drivers with a definite checklist included in the new system.

"If you are a younger person, here are the things we’ll watch and boxes you can check and a testing license. They may have to start on road courses before getting an oval test or have to run in the Freedom 100. Before, there was no formula, but here is a guideline that helps explain it in black and white. This is our version of formalizing something. We are creating a formal guideline and trying to make everything we do here a process."

A loose guideline for experienced drivers also included direct eligibility if they raced in F1 or the NASCAR Cup Series before.

IndyCar drivers need robust fitness levels and level-headedness to sustain performance

Compared to NASCAR and F1, IndyCar drivers have an additional physical challenge to conquer. The American open-wheel cars don't have power steering. This significantly increases the load on a driver's shoulders and arms, with an additional 25 to 30 pounds of force to counter at 240 mph.

Two-time IndyCar champ Josef Newgarden described it best. In November 2024, the Team Penske driver said (via BarBend):

"It’s (Indy car) like a fighter jet that’s just been designed to go on the ground. It’s like going to the gym, picking up a 25-pound weight plate, and trying to steer for an hour and a half — in a cockpit that’s 110 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit."

Resistance training with progressive overload is of paramount importance to drivers. However, there is a counter-variable to be mindful of. Drivers cannot exceed the maximum weight of 185 pounds. Though the series doesn't impose any penalty for going over, the increase in weight is a penalty in itself. The more weight in the car, the slower it goes. If a driver weighs less than 185, in that case, ballast is added to level the playing field.

Once the physical side is taken care of, you move on to mental toughness. When there are nearly 30 of some of the world's best drivers competing for one prize, disappointment for each one at some stage is inevitable. When that happens, undesirable headlines emerge. Being thick-skinned then becomes the need of the hour.

As much as racing looks like a driver's sport, the team has a great role to play. In November 2024, Chip Ganassi Racing took the lead in formalizing its driver development program. Drivers will be trained on multiple fronts in addition to physical and mental fitness including media training, simulator and technical training and business development.

Another crucial aspect to make peace with is the presence of drivers with affluent sponsors. There are times when such drivers can edge out the more deserving ones for a full-time seat. But that's the nature of motorsport where millions of dollars exchange hands every year. Stick to what is in your control. When persistent efforts on these fronts over months and years add up, champion drivers are inevitably created.