Scott Dixon (left) won his fourth Drivers' Championship while Juan Pablo Montoya (right) finished second in the championship on tiebreaker as Dixon had three race wins compared to Montoya who had only two race wins.
In a remarkable end to the season Scott Dixon had to win the pole, the race and lead the most laps to equal Juan Pablo Montoya points tally.
The 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series was the 20th season of the
entered the season as the reigning Manufacturers' champion. Indianapolis 500 and the season finale counted for double points.
The season was overshadowed by the death of driver Justin Wilson at Pocono, after being struck on the head by debris from Sage Karam's car. That left the door for his brother, Stefan Wilson, to compete in future Indy 500s from 2016 onward.
A week after Wilson's fatal accident, the finale was held at Sonoma Raceway, where Scott Dixon secured his fourth career title after a low-key season that saw him win on a tiebreak against Juan Pablo Montoya following his third win of the season after many consistent finishes leading up to the finale. Montoya won the Indianapolis 500 earlier in the season. It was a very competitive season with no standout performers and many different race winners and pacesetters. Except Dixon's three race wins, he finished on the podium only once, but due to their consistent finishing Dixon and Montoya had a significant margin to reigning champion Will Power in third.
Confirmed entries
The following teams, entries, and drivers have been announced to compete in the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season. All teams will use a
Bryan Clauson drove an entry fielded by Jonathan Byrd's Racing at the Indy 500 in 2015 and 2016. KV Racing Technology was confirmed to support the entry.[42]
Andretti Autosport re-signed Ryan Hunter-Reay and sponsor DHL to a multi year contract.[7]
Josef Newgarden announced that he would drive the CFH Racing #67 entry full-time in 2015 with an option for an extension of the contract for a second year.[45]
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports after three years and joined Team Penske
in the No. 22 car.
Team Penske president Tim Cindric confirmed on Twitter that defending series champion Will Power would be running the #1 car, as opposed to his usual #12.[46]
James Hinchcliffe announced that he left Andretti Autosport to replace Pagenaud in the #5 Schmidt Peterson Racing car.[34][35] He was joined in the team by James Jakes – replacing Mikhail Aleshin – who returned to the series after missing the 2014 season.[38]
A. J. Foyt Enterprises car full-time in 2015. Takuma Sato returned to the team's #14 car.[1]
Mikhail Aleshin returned to Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in a 3rd entry at Sonoma.[48]
The Itaipava Brasília Indy 300 was scheduled to be held on March 8 at the
Governor from the Workers' Party had been defeated, and replaced by the candidate from the Brazilian Socialist Party.[50] As tires and fuel had already been shipped for the race, the series sent representatives to the Autódromo de Goiânia to check the viability of the venue to host the race.[51]
NOLA Motorsports Park was announced to have a race over the weekend of April 10–12, 2015.[52]
Texas Motor Speedway was confirmed to return to the June 4–6 weekend and that the race would be on NBCSN.[53]
Auto Club Speedway was confirmed to be scheduled for June 27, moved from their usual date at the end of the season.[54]
IndyCar & Mi-Jack Promotions announced on August 29, 2014, that the Houston doubleheader at NRG Park has been canceled for 2015 due to scheduling issues.
The races at
Pirelli World Challenge schedule; PWC supports those events on the IndyCar calendar as well as St. Petersburg, Long Beach & Detroit.[55]
The
Honda Indy Toronto would stay at Exhibition Place and would be run on the weekend of June 12–14, 2015, to avoid a clash with the 2015 Pan American Games, due to be held the following month in the city. Unlike the last two seasons, the race weekend only featured one race instead of two, making Detroit the only double-header weekend of the season.[56]
was moved from the July 4 weekend date the track had in 2013 and 2014 to the weekend of August 23 for the 2015 season.
Rule changes
Aerokit modifications became specific to Honda and Chevy.
Double points were awarded for the Indianapolis 500 race and for the season finale at Sonoma only. Previously double points were awarded at the three 500 mile oval events.
Each team would continue to have two weeks of testing. Unlike past seasons, Promoter Days/Open Tests would count towards the testing allocation.
The medical exemption was eliminated from pit selections. Pit selections are no longer based on drivers but teams' performance in the last race. This change eliminates a disadvantage by one IndyCar team that used a "two-platoon" system, with driver based on the circuit.
Qualifying groups for qualifying at road/street course events was determined by the final practice session held before qualifying instead of by the first session of the weekend.
Standing starts have been eliminated for 2015. The series says more development is needed before re-introducing them to the series, especially after numerous aborted standing starts and a crash at Houston during the 2013 season, and a start-line pile-up at the Indianapolis road course race in 2014.
Each phase of the Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program saw see the speed requirements increased by 5 mph. Phase One consists of 10 laps at 205–210 mph, Phase Two of 15 laps at 210–215 mph and Phase Three of 15 laps at 215+ mph. The laps do not have to be consecutive. The phases and corresponding speeds may be adjusted based on track/weather conditions. The refresher program consisted of Phases Two and Three.[58]
Race summaries
Round 1: St. Petersburg
The season opener at St. Petersburg was also the debut of unique aero kits for Honda and Chevrolet. Apprehension amongst the teams going into the race revolved around the complex, elaborate, and seemingly fragile front wings, and the lack of adequate replacement parts. The concerns were not unfounded, as dozens of on-track contacts throughout the field damaged countless wing components.
Will Power won the pole position, leading a Team Penske sweep of the first four positions on the grid. Power took the lead at the start, and led 75 laps. During the final round of pit stops, Juan Pablo Montoya grabbed the lead after he managed a quicker pit stop than Power. In the closing laps, Power chased down Montoya, and narrowed the gap to less than a second with 11 laps to go. Power tried to pass Montoya for the lead in turn 10, but the two cars touched, damaging Power's front wing. Montoya held the lead, and went on to win, his first road course victory in IndyCar racing since 1999.
Round 2: New Orleans
IndyCar made its first visit to NOLA Motorsports Park for the second round of the series. Lightning during qualifying in the middle of Round 1B cancelled the entire session, with the grid determined by entrant points, placing Juan Pablo Montoya on pole courtesy of having won the opening race in St. Petersburg. He was joined on the front row by Penske teammate Will Power.[59]
The weather had eased on race day though not completely cleared, seeing the race begin in wet conditions. Montoya led the race early as conditions improved prompting a number of drivers to gamble on a switch to dry tires. Tony Kanaan and Ryan Hunter-Reay both stopped after 11 laps,[60] a decision which proved too early as Kanaan spun off soon after. Conditions rapidly improved though and two laps later the leaders pitted for dry tires which promoted James Hinchcliffe into the lead, courtesy of an earlier stop. From there on the race was dictated by a series of caution periods as the drivers continued to struggle in the mixed conditions, the final caution period coming as Hunter-Reay, Sébastien Bourdais and Simon Pagenaud crashed together.
The series had announced a 1-hour and 45 minute time limit in the event of a wet race. Due to this time limit being reached in addition to the cautions, the race ended under yellow following the 3-car crash involving Hunter-Reay, Bourdais, and Pagenaud. Hinchcliffe won the race.
started alongside on the front row. At the start, Castroneves got the jump, and led into turn one.
During the first sequence of green flag pit stops on lap 29, Castoneves was briefly held in his pit box to avoid collision with Tony Kanaan, who was entering the stall just ahead. The delay cost Castroneves valuable track position, and allowed Scott Dixon to take over the lead. During the second round of pit stops on lap 55, Dixon was narrowly able to hold the lead, and cruised to victory, his first career win at Long Beach. With Dixon comfortably out in front, and Castroneves in second, the closing laps focused on a furious four-car battle for third place, led by Juan Pablo Montoya and Simon Pagenaud. Fifth place went to Tony Kanaan.
Round 4: Birmingham
With a second consecutive pole position, Hélio Castroneves took the front row with a time of 1:07.1925 alongside teammate Will Power, while a third-place effort by Simon Pagenaud made it another Penske 1-2-3 qualifying lock-out. Josef Newgarden took his first career victory, the fourth different winner in the four races thus far in the season.
Castroneves led early in the race, but lost the lead on lap 19 after another pit stop problem. The right-front tire changer lost a wheel nut, and that allowed Josef Newgarden to come to the lead. In the second half, Newgarden led, Scott Dixon was second, and Castroneves was third, but Graham Rahal was on a different pit strategy. As the leaders were attempting to save fuel and make it to the finish, Rahal pit on lap 70. With a full load of fuel, and new red option tires, Rahal went on a spirited charge to catch the leaders. He shaved 18 seconds off of Newgarden's lead, and passed Scott Dixon for second on the final lap. Newgarden held off the charge and won his first ever IndyCar race by just 2.2 seconds.
Castroneves ran out of fuel on the final lap, forcing him to pit, and he dropped to 15th. Will Power recovered from a collision exiting the pits (and subsequent drive-through penalty) on lap 24 to come home fourth. With Castroneves dropping to 15th at the finish, teammate Juan Pablo Montoya maintained the championship lead.
Round 5: Grand Prix of Indianapolis
Penske Racing during qualifying. Penske cars qualified 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, with Ganassi'sScott Dixon
(2nd) situated on the outside of the front row.
At the start, a multi-car tangle in turn one saw Scott Dixon spin out in front of the entire field. Hélio Castroneves (in his milestone 300th Indy car start) was involved in contact, as was Josef Newgarden, and others. Will Power took the lead and dominated the race, leading 65 of 82 laps. Power became the fifth different winner in as many races for 2015.
A southwesterly cold front drenching the circuit for Saturday's race 1 of the
Belle Isle Detroit Grand Prix, it was Will Power on pole position. In a wet race on the composite circuit, Carlos Munoz took his first IndyCar win, lapping through 9th place in the process. Runner-up was Marco Andretti; Simon Pagenaud
finished 3rd.
Round 8: Detroit (Sun.)
The remnant of yesterday's cold front lingered in a fog over a soaking wet Belle Isle circuit for Sunday's race 2 of the Detroit Grand Prix. Qualification scrubbed, the grid formed up on the basis of driver points, Juan Pablo Montoya on pole position, with Will Power alongside, row 1. The first 37 laps were run caution free. Yet, 50% of the last 31 laps run under caution, seldom were there ever more than three consecutive green flag laps run, over the remaining portion of the race. The driver hasn't gotten his strategy correct, Sébastien Bourdais led to the stripe with 6 laps to go, gapped the field, and earned his first win of the 2015 season, Takuma Sato finished 2nd, Graham Rahal - 3rd.
Round 9: Texas
Under a clear sky, high heat, and 63% humidity, 23 cars took to the D-shaped 1.5 mile Texas Motor Speedway circuit with Will Power on pole position. Ganassi drivers Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan finished first and second respectively, 7.8 seconds apart, with second-place Kanaan about 10 seconds ahead of third-place Hélio Castroneves.
Round 10: Toronto
With light rain as the field approached for the green flag, starter's orders called for a mandatory single-file rolling start. Will Power earned pole position; Josef Newgarden won the race, holding off his CFH Racing teammate Luca Filippi by 1.4 seconds, ahead of third-place Castroneves, fourth-place Power and Sébastien Bourdais in fifth.
Round 11: Fontana
Juan Montoya and Tony Kanaan. The lead would subsequently alternate 80 times throughout the 500-mile race, an IndyCar Series record.[61] On lap 241, Sato collided into Will Power, taking them both out of the race. This would set up a late sprint to the finish when the green flag waved on lap 247.[62] On the penultimate lap of the race, the final incident of the day occurred when Sage Karam and Juan Pablo Montoya pinched Ryan Hunter-Reay into Ryan Briscoe, the latter of whom was sent airborne at a speed of 210 miles per hour (340 km/h).[63] This allowed Rahal to complete the final two laps to the checkered flag under caution, for his first win of the year.[62]
Round 12: Milwaukee
Indycar Series. The first caution didn't came until 114 when James Jakes lost an engine in turn 1. The second caution didn't fly until 131 when Ryan Briscoe spun and hit his country mate Will Power in turn 4. The 3rd and final caution came in lap 222 when Justin Wilson lost an engine in turn 1. Sébastien Bourdais eventually lapped the entire field. He managed to hold off Hélio Castroneves and Graham Rahal to pick up his 2nd win of the year. Sébastien Bourdais got his first oval win since 2006 and the 34th of his career, tying Al Unser Jr.
Round 13: Iowa
Ryan Hunter Reay held off Josef Newgarden and Sage Karam to pick up his first win of the season. Ed Carpenter got out of his car after the race and confronted the 20 year old rookie driver from Nazareth Pennsylvania Sage Karam
List of American Championship car racing point scoring systems
Ties are broken by number of wins, followed by number of 2nds, 3rds, etc., then by number of pole positions, followed by number of times qualified 2nd, etc.
Driver standings
One championship point is awarded to any driver for each lap they lead during a race. Two additional championship points are awarded to the driver who leads most laps during a race.
At all races except the Indy 500, the number 1 qualifier earns one point.
Entrant-initiated engine change-outs will result in the loss of ten points.
Qualification points were not awarded for the Indy 500 due to last minute regulatory changes.[64]
The top three finishing drivers from each manufacturer in each race/qualifying score championship points for their respective manufacturer, provided they were using one of their four allotted engines.
Two additional points are awarded to the manufacturer if one of their entrants leads most laps of a race.
At all races except the Indy 500, the manufacturer who qualifies on pole earns one point.
Manufacturers will earn ten points for each engine reaching the 2500-mile change-out threshold. Manufacturers will lose twenty points for each engine failing to reach the change-out threshold, or for a non-minor repair requiring a component change.
A tie in points is broken, by number of wins, followed by number of 2nds, 3rds, etc., then by number of pole positions, followed by number of times qualified 2nd, etc.
^James Davison is considered a rookie in the IndyCar Series; however, he was not a rookie in the 2015 Indianapolis 500 as he participated in the Indy 500 in 2014.
^Vautier also qualified the car at the Indy 500 for James Davison.