Firestone announced in the offseason that for all street courses this year, the softer alternates would be constructed with a sidewall made from the sustainable guayule desert shrub. These green sidewalled tires made their debut at last year’s race in Nashville, and have been brought onboard for all five of the temporary tracks on the 2023 IndyCar schedule.
At the season-opener in St. Petersburg last weekend, there was a notable difference in the performance of the two tires, something that the best drivers and the series have regarded as a big help in improving the quality of the racing. Thanks to a mix of strategies, that is how things transpired on track.
