Aluminum IndyCar wheels on pause until at least 2027

A proposed move to less expensive IndyCar wheels made from aluminum, rather than the lighter and more brittle magnesium that has been popular in the series dating back the CART IndyCar Series, will not take place until at least 2027.

According to the decision passed down in the final pre-season team managers meeting in early February, the soonest a switch to aluminum wheels would be made is 2027, which could coincide with the introduction of IndyCar’s next new chassis.

In addition to trimming costs, RACER understands another significant driver in the desire to ditch magnesium wheels is the ‘aero lip’ found on the front wheels made by some vendors, which have prompted safety concerns. Removing it would prevent shards of the lip breaking free from the wheels when they hit hard objects.