debuted IndyCar Series as engine supplier in 2003 season after a CART successful era. Developed jointly by HPD with under support from Ilmor and designated as HI3R, engine's capacity was 3.5-liter. Honda supplied Andretti Green Racing, Team Rahal, Fernández Racing and Access Motorsports teams. Honda's 2003 stats were 3 pole positions, 6 fastest laps and 2 wins. A revised engine named HI4R was used in 2004 until new regulations came into effect at the 2004 Indianapolis 500.
Honda designed a new engine to address the 2004 IRL rule change which required reduced displacement. Developed once again by Ilmor and designated as HI4R-A, its capacity was 3.0-liter and debuted at the 2004 Indianapolis 500. With subsequent evolutions named HI5R and HI6R, Honda was clearly dominant engine, scoring 33 poles, 35 fastest laps, 41 wins totally in three seasons including 3 Indianapolis 500s. Since Chevrolet and Toyota leaves IndyCar Series after 2005 season, Honda won exclusive tender IndyCar Series engine supplier for 2006 to 2011 season.
This family was designed as a replacement for the HI6R but enlarged to better accommodate variable valve timing and Active Fuel Management while still generating good performance. HI7R-HI11R's capacity reverted to 3.5-liters respectively since 2007 season. HI7R-HI11R engine was developed and assembled by Honda in Santa Clarita, California, USA but remained under support from Ilmor Engineering for partial design R&D, trackside support, engine arrangement, tune up and engine maintenance. HI7R-HI11R engine supplied for all IndyCar Series teams. HI7R-HI11R was highly-successful engine with 86 pole positions, fastest laps and wins respectively including 2008 Nikon Indy 300 exhibition race and 5 Indianapolis 500s. Due to the IndyCar Series chassis and engine development freeze beginning in 2008, IndyCar Series kept the Honda Indy V8 3rd generation model until 2011 season for cost reasons. The combustion of Honda Indy V8 was four-stroke piston Otto cycle.
Injection system: Single injector per cylinder, fed by an engine-driven mechanical fuel pump
Lubrication: Combined pressure and scavenge system featuring an oil pressure stage, multi-stage oil scavenge with an oil/air separator. Most cars utilize either and oil bypass or an oil thermostat for precise engine temperature control
Cooling: Single mechanical water pump feeding a single-sided cooling system
