IndyCar: Firestone Firehawk Race Tire Facts for the Indianapolis 500
The 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the sixth event on the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season schedule. The on-track schedule includes practice sessions on May 16-19 and May 22, qualifying on May 20-21, Carb Day (final) practice on May 26, and race on Sunday, May 28.
Firestone is supplying 4500 race tires to NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams and drivers for practice, qualifying, and the 500-mile race on the 2.5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each entry will receive the following Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 race tire allocation:
Primary (black sidewall): 34 sets per entry
Same construction and compound design as the 2022 Indianapolis 500 primary tires.
- Rookies receive three extra sets
- Drivers doing a refresher receive two extra sets
- Entries participating in Firestone Fast 12 will receive an extra set
- Entries participating in Firestone Fast 6 will receive an additional set
- Entries participating in last chance qualifying (last row) will receive an extra set
Notes from Cara Krstolic: This year’s Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires have the same race-proven construction and compound design as last year. This year, it has slightly softer compounds with added grip. In keeping with our sustainability efforts, the tread of all our 2023 Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires also incorporate a synthetic rubber created with ISCC+ certified recycled Butadiene, a monomer produced with recycled post-consumer plastic waste, that was developed in partnership with Shell.