印第安纳波利斯（美联社）——亚历克斯·帕洛和亚历山大·罗西对这款新印地赛车一见倾心。
随后他们坐进驾驶舱，驾驶赛车在印第安纳波利斯赛车场全长2.439英里（约3.92公里）、包含14个弯道的赛道上飞驰，表现更令人惊叹。
四届系列赛冠军帕卢（Palou）与2016年印第安纳波利斯500大赛冠军罗西（Rossi）成为该新款车型的首批测试车手，两人在试驾结束后均对车辆给予了高度评价。
帕卢（Palou）周日开玩笑说："我很高兴宣布我们明年就要参加比赛了。" "真希望（就是明年）——我觉得大家的兴奋程度都到了这种地步。当我们第一次亲眼看到它时，所有人都惊呆了，它的外观如此出色，让我迫不及待想亲自试试。"
这位为奇普·加纳西车队效力的西班牙车手若能参加明年的IR-28赛事，势必会再次领跑全场——可惜该车型要等到2028年才会面世。不过，帕卢（Palou）自然希望一切进展能更快些。这位车手在过去64场比赛中赢得了21场胜利，包括2025年的印地赛事，眼下正即将锁定连续第四个系列赛总冠军头衔。
在看到这款更轻便、更流线型、外观酷似喷气式飞机的汽车初稿渲染图后，他对该模型产生了浓厚兴趣。
更高的侧箱与更宽大、波浪状的前翼使赛车看起来更为庞大，而数字显示屏则位于重新设计、更轻薄的防滚架后方，实时展示赛车在正赛、排位赛或练习赛中的位置，凸显高科技特性。
设计师们承诺，这款车将拥有更宽敞的驾驶舱，速度更快，比赛性能更优，同时还会增加安全功能。
罗西认为实际情况比宣传的更好。他在四个赛季中参加了七场一级方程式比赛，随后于2016年转战印地赛车。身高6英尺1英寸（约1.85米）的罗西，是印地赛车领域身高最高的车手之一。
罗西周六表示：“我们不愿与F1相提并论，也不喜欢这样做，但我认为任何初次驾驶F1赛车的人都会注意到它的平顺性——并非从动力系统角度，而是从路面反馈层面。而这辆车正开始接近那种水准。”
他补充道：“空间确实稍大一些，对我来说更宽敞了。膝盖不会顶到车顶，这点很棒。不过开起来倒也不像驾驶雪佛兰Suburban那种全尺寸SUV的感觉。”
尽管目标并非一定要跑出最快圈速，但两位车手都享受了驾驶过程。赛道官员表示，并未记录任何正式或非正式的速度数据。
赛事官员转而要求罗西和帕卢提供一些关于赛车在赛道表现的基础数据，这些数据可用于帮助调整未来测试的车辆设置。这实质上成为为期两天的试车安排：罗西定于周六试驾三小时，帕卢则在周日试驾三小时。
只有一个问题——下雨。
由于周六和周日印第安纳波利斯地区被阴冷潮湿的天气笼罩，每位车手的分配时间都至少缩减了一半。尽管如此，这并未影响两位车手的斗志。
"能够参与这项赛事的下一阶段发展，并在一个对我以及我们所有人而言意义重大的地方实现这一目标，这种感觉非常不可思议，"罗西表示，"虽然只是这项赛事历史与未来中的一小部分，但已经足够令人振奋。"
未来如何发展仍是巨大的未知数。
尽管赛事官方尚未安排IR-28赛车的下一次测试，但帕洛希望其他车手能加入他与罗西刚刚引领的潮流。
“这太有趣了，”帕卢（Palou）说道，“就像置身于一辆高端汽车里。内饰质感如同优质皮革，车内也十分安静。整体感觉既舒适又惬意。我已经迫不及待想在干燥路况下试驾，看看全力驾驶时的真实体验如何。”
印地赛车将于下周日重返赛场，在俄勒冈州波特兰市展开角逐。
美联社赛车新闻：
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Alex Palou and Alexander Rossi were sold on the new IndyCar at first glance.
Then they climbed inside the cockpit, took it around Indianapolis Motor Speedways 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course and were even more impressed.
Palou, the four-time series champ, and Rossi, the 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner, became the first test drivers of the new model and both left the track giving the car rave reviews.
I am very happy to announce that we will race it next year, Palou joked Sunday. I wish (it was next year) like thats the level of excitement I think among everybody. I think everybody, when we saw it live for the first time, I was shocked at how good it looked and how excited I was to give it a try.
The Spaniard who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing certainly would be leading the pack again if he actually competed in the IR-28 next year because it isnt scheduled to debut until 2028. Naturally, though, Palou, who has won 21 of the last 64 races including Indy in 2025 and is on the cusp of clinching a fourth straight series title, would prefer everything goes quicker.
His interest in this model was piqued after seeing the initial renderings of the lighter, sleeker, jet-like looking car.
The higher sidepod and more expansive, wavier front wings make the car look larger while the digitally display featuring the cars position during a race, qualifying or practice appears just behind the redesigned, less bulky aero-screen give as a high-tech feature.
Designers promised the car would have roomier cockpits, run faster and race better all while adding safety features.
Rossi thought it was better than advertised. He started seven Formula 1 races in four seasons before moving to IndyCars in 2016 and at 6-foot-1, Rossi is one of IndyCars tallest drivers.
Not to draw comparisons to F1, we dont like doing that, but I think anyone who drives an F1 car for the first time, they notice how smooth the car is not from a powertrain standpoint but from the surface standpoint, Rossi said Saturday. This car starts to get to that level.
He added: Its a little bigger, certainly more room for me. My knees arent headed into the top of the chassis, which is great. But its not like youre out there driving a Suburban.
And even though the goal was not necessarily to post fast laps, both drivers enjoyed the ride. Track officials said no official or unofficial speeds were kept.
Instead, series officials asked Rossi and Palou to produce some baseline measures about the cars on-track performance, which can be used to help modify set-ups for future tests. That made it essentially a two-day shakedown with Rossi scheduled to run three hours on Saturday and Palou three hours Sunday.
There was just one problem rain.
Each driver had their allotted time slot cut by at least half because of the cool, wet conditions that blanketed the Indianapolis area Saturday and Sunday. Still, it didnt dampen the spirits of either driver.
Its pretty incredible to be able to be a part of the next evolution and to do it at a place that obviously means a lot to me and all of us here, Rossi said. Its small part to play in the history and the future of this championship, and thats super cool.
Whats next remains the great unknown.
While series officials have not yet scheduled the IR-28s next test, Palou wants other drivers to join the parade he and Rossi just led.
Its super fun, Palou said. Its just like being on a higher end car. It feels like one of those interiors that are like good leather and its quiet inside. Its good, its comfy, so, yeah, I cant wait to hopefully try it in the dry (conditions) and see how it really feels when I push it.
IndyCar returns to action next Sunday at Portland, Oregon.
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