Indy announced last Friday (the 6th) the Pace Car for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500, the race scheduled for May 24 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This time, the chosen model was the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X, regarded as the fastest production car in the Americas, and it will be driven by Curt Cignetti, head coach of Indiana University’s football team.
As you would expect in a case like this, the model draws attention for its technical specifications. Equipped with a hybrid setup that comprises a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 internal combustion engine and another propulsion unit, this electric motor on the car’s front axle. The combined power output is a staggering 1,250 hp, and the version that will lead the Indy cars on the 2.5-mile oval also features a carbon aerodynamic package.
The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just two seconds, and the top speed reached is 375 km/h. That speed is similar, for instance, to the average speed of Robert Shwartzman in the sequence of laps that earned him pole position for the 2025 edition of the Indianapolis 500. The Israeli secured the pole with an average speed of 374.639 km/h over the four-fast-lap run.
As one would expect at an event so deeply rooted in American automotive culture, the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500 will feature a livery in the colors of the American flag: one side is entirely blue, and the other is white, adorned with red stripes and blue stars.
The Corvette is, by far, the brand that has appeared most often at the Indianapolis 500 as Pace Car. It will be the 23rd appearance of a model from this brand. When we expand to Chevrolet, there have been 37 appearances in 110 editions of the race, including this year’s event.
The practice sessions for the Indianapolis 500 will open on May 11, with qualifying split between May 16 and 17. The race is scheduled for May 24 of the same month.
