2017 IndyCar Testing Plans And Regulations Revealed

IndyCar testing rules, dates and locations were announced by the league in a press release Monday. Find out specifics for testing during the 2017 season.

Test days can be crucial for Verizon IndyCar Series teams as they constantly work to improve their cars. On Thursday, the league issued a press release revealing the IndyCar testing rules, dates and locations for next season.

There will be four league-arranged open tests in 2017:

The last is particularly notable because it’s not only the one test date in the second half of the season, but it also takes place the same week at the 2017 season finale. The 2017 GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma is scheduled for Sept. 17.

In addition to the league open tests, all IndyCar teams are permitted one additional test day of their choice as long as it falls within the regulatory window of Apr. 11 to Sep. 17.

They can earn additional test days for a number of personnel moves. Running a rookie driver during the 2017 season would earn up to four IndyCar testing days. Utilizing a current Indy Lights driver nets one extra day, while having an Indy Lights team under the same ownership as your IndyCar team also gets you one extra day.

But wait, there’s more: any tire test is limited to a maximum of two days with no more than two teams involved in the same test and no more than one participating car per team. Engine testing is limited to two days, but only in the off-season window between the 2016 and 2017 campaigns.

The off-season IndyCar testing window opens up Oct. 3 and extends to Apr. 6, 2017, with all teams allowed three test days anywhere in that span.

The announcement of 2017 testing details comes on the same day that teams were taking to the Sonoma track for the final in-season test of this season. The day was particularly important to Will Power, who needs a strong result in next week’s race if he’s going to win the 2016 title.

“We’re just testing a bunch of things to help us win the race next weekend,” Power told IndyCar.com on Thursday. “We really need to win the race to win the championship. That would give us the best chance if Simon [Pagenaud] has a bad day.”

Test days can prove to be valuable when teams are in a tight battle like next weekend’s title fight, or have significant problems with their car that require extra work to figure out. Now with the 2017 IndyCar testing regulations and the racing schedule out, teams – and fans – have a solid idea of what next season will look like.

The 2016 GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma takes place Sunday, Sept. 18 at Sonoma Raceway.