24 hours after announcing its departure from F1, Honda confirms that it is to remain in IndyCar "well into the end of the decade".

Indeed, IndyCar has reached a new, multi-year extension with both engine partners Honda and Chevrolet, taking their partnership well into the end of the decade and providing stability and innovation for the series.

"To be able to announce a long-term, multi-year extension with our two great partners is phenomenal," said IndyCar president, Jay Frye. "It's an exciting time in IndyCar with the innovations in the car, the new 2.4-litre engine and hybrid technology."

Due to the global pandemic, the introduction of the 2.4-litre, twin-turbocharged V-6 with hybrid technology will be delayed to the year 2023.

Working in partnership with Honda and Chevrolet, the new engine will give the series an additional 100 horsepower, ultimately producing over 900.

"Honda welcomes this step to the future by IndyCar," said Ted Klaus, president of Honda Performance Development, "action that mirrors Honda's efforts to develop and manufacture high-performance, electrified products that will meet industry challenges and delight our customers.

"At Honda, we race to develop our people, to innovate technologies and to engage fans. We are proud of our uninterrupted, 27-year leadership in IndyCar, and look forward to delivering a next-generation Honda 2.4-liter hybrid power unit with more than 900 horsepower."

The newly designed powertrain system will also provide a departure from the traditional, manual handheld starters and will let drivers restart the car quickly should it stall on the track.

This will benefit the AMR IndyCar Safety Team as it reduces exposure time on track and adds to the fan experience by potentially reducing the number of caution flags on track, leading to better flow and time of races.

"Fast, loud, and authentic," said Frye, "along with a history of innovation - that's our racing roots and will continue to be the sport's legacy. This announcement keeps that in mind while celebrating a stable and bright future."

The commitment and overall stability of the series will continue to allow IndyCar future opportunities for an additional OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to join its mainstay engine partners.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by F One, 05/10/2020 15:13

"Hypocrisy from Honda then."

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2. Posted by TokyoAussie, 05/10/2020 3:30

"Total dissonance in F1 and IndyCar announcements. Presumably F1 is just too expensive, even with engine limits."

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3. Posted by The stogie, 04/10/2020 18:31

"One MAJOR difference between the two series - Roger Penske!! 'Nuff said."

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4. Posted by Superbird70, 04/10/2020 16:21

"Indy-car is also going hybrid, so this might part of a marketing strategy for Honda in the USA. "

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5. Posted by alvarezh3, 04/10/2020 14:54

"These are the three current methods used to produce ethanol:

1-Manufacture from ethene using steam (the "synthetic" route)

2-Production from sugars and starches by fermentation, using yeasts.

3-Production from biomass waste, using bacteria.

Since Indy car (or even the sum of all the worldwide professional racing series) hardly consume any noticeable amount of fuel compared to the world's automotive transportation ICEs fuel consumption, I would tend to think (I don't have concrete numbers to prove this) that producing ethanol from the third method should be able to supply the demand from professional racing.

I believe bacteria does not need any form of man produced (dirty) energy in order to work, therefore this method should be 100 green.

E85 used by Indy is a mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% hydrocarbon, therefore is not 100% green. Nevertheless, one could not rule out that -with today's technology- an engine could be designed to work with 100% ethanol or any other "green" fuel.

My father, whom as a hobby likes to work with lathes and milling machines, has built (not his design) an engine that runs on rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol. Not saying that alcohol (highly corrosive) should be used as the next racing fuel, but this little engine serves to prove that there are alternative and much cleaner fuels to run engines on.

On a side note, I will go along with some of the opinions here that attribute Honda's leaving F1 is do (at least partially) to financial reasons. For me, the "green" card is an excuse."

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6. Posted by Steve W, 04/10/2020 13:28

"Ethanol may be "greener" but there is another ethical question... Do we produce fuel or food?"

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7. Posted by Superbird70, 03/10/2020 19:22

"Indy-cars run on ethanol, so it is somewhat greener and packs more energy per kilo than when they ran methanol.. The issue really becomes the source of the ethanol. I think most of is derived from corn which is a fairly energy intensive crop. Honda can easily rationalize this move a green initiative."

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8. Posted by BillH, 03/10/2020 19:16

"I suspect Honda's decision to pull out of F1 isn't for environmental reasons, particularly as the manufacturing process of EV's / batteries these days is starting to get noticed:

"Polestar has admitted that its Polestar 2 creates a 26-ton carbon footprint before leaving the factory, which is more than its sister company Volvo requires to make a petrol-powered HC40 SUV. However, because the all-electric Polestar 2 can then be powered from renewable energy with no carbon footprint, after 50,000km the HC40 is more polluting."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesmorris/2020/09/19/are-electric-vehicles-really-less-polluting-than-fossil-fuel-ones/#536828274d40

Note that those 50,000kms are notched up with clean renewable energy.

I think Honda are looking at their balance sheet.

Otherwise they would have pulled out of Indycar and just gone to FE if they wanted to be in motorsport at all.

And, they would be no longer be making jet engines.

I'll miss Honda when they leave F1 as their recovery over the past three years has been good to watch, but I also remember Bernie being very sceptical of any manufacturers that are involved in F1 as they do tend to come and go and cause disruption when they do so.

I wonder what is to become of Yuki Tsunoda, who Honda and Redbull back?

Perhaps a future in Indycar?"

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9. Posted by Endre, 03/10/2020 19:05

"If we needed further proof that Honda's reasons for leaving F! were BS, than here it is. Supplying a higher number of higher capacity and more polluting power unit to the US is OK, but supplying 2 teams in F! with a greener engine is not. Follow the money, as always ..."

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Honda to remain in IndyCar

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