INDYCAR to stream COTA Open Test
INDIANAPOLIS (February 6, 2020) – The first major event of the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season will be streamed live next week from Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.
The full-field test scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday can be viewed live on the INDYCAR Mobile App and INDYCAR.com. INDYCAR will debut its revolutionary Aeroscreen, a driver cockpit safety device fitted to all cars for the 2020 season.
Twenty-six drivers in 25 cars are scheduled to participate in the Open Test, including two-time defending Virgin Australia Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin driving for Team Penske. The 26-year-old New Zealander will join a team lineup featuring reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden, 2019 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Simon Pagenaud and previous series and 2018 Indianapolis 500 champion Will Power. McLaughlin is scheduled to make his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut in the season’s fifth race, the GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 9.
Next week’s test at COTA also features five-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon leading Chip Ganassi Racing’s expanded three-car lineup, two-time race winner Colton Herta making his debut with Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport, and Arrow McLaren SP fielding Pato O’Ward and Oliver Askew, the past two champions of Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires.
In addition to McLaughlin and Askew, the rookie class features Indy Lights runner-up Rinus VeeKay of Ed Carpenter Racing, Alex Palou of Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh and Dalton Kellett of AJ Foyt Racing. Kellett will share a car with four-time Indy car champion Sebastien Bourdais.
Tony Kanaan, who recently announced a five-race oval track schedule with AJ Foyt Racing for his final season in 2020, and NBC broadcaster Paul Tracy will join the announcing team that includes Kevin Lee, Jake Query and Katie Hargitt.
Next week’s testing schedule is as follows (all times Eastern):
Tuesday: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2:30-6:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m.-noon, 1-5 p.m.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on Sunday, March 15. All 17 races will be broadcast by NBC and the NBC Sports Network. The 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge airs on NBC on Sunday, May 24.
Circuit of The Americas will host the fourth race of the season, the AutoNation INDYCAR Challenge on Sunday, April 26.
ABOUT INDYCAR:
INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series known as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The series features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including five-time series champion Scott Dixon, reigning series champion Josef Newgarden and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The season, which runs from March to September, currently consists of 17 races in the United States and Canada, and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge held annually in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit indycar.com
Sources: Mike Zizzo/NTT IndyCar Series PR