IndyCar Series

[clotildaeliza]

JR Hildebrand exploring a wing less car, interesting.....


https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... bird66.jpg


https://racer.com/2025/10/01/blackbird66mk1


Would be cool if they make a prototype, a modern version of this

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/imag ... 8&usqp=CAU

Loic Duval made one

https://cdn-4.motorsport.com/static/img ... -di-g.webp

Interesting concept, but it’ll be tough to balance downforce and stability without wings. Still, seeing someone try would be refreshing in today’s aero-dominated racing.

[Mogster]

With 1200hp and without wings providing downforce and so stability wouldn’t it just become very unstable at high speeds, 200mph plus? Similar to a late 1960s wingless Indycar? Also didn’t Pat Symonds and his team evaluate wingless designs for the 2022 F1 regs? I seem to remember him saying that the wings (particularly the rear wing) actually helped to mitigate dirty air effects on following cars to an extent by deflecting it upwards. Wingless designs just poured turbulent air onto the following car. Once they added a large rear wing to deflect the turbulent air upwards then a large front wing was required to balance it. I do wonder if aesthetics played a part in the final decision though, Symonds did mention that also.

I’d like to see this concept created in a PC simulator.

[basti313]

Next season shaping up! I think there are some interesting moves, but nothing technical new, right?

The interesting moves:
- Herta out, Power at Andretti. I never thought, that Andretti is super well equipped with drivers and the combination father son did not do all good. Power will be a new benchmark. Big loss for Penske.
- Schumacher in RLL. Super interesting. We saw from Schumacher, that he always needed a season to get comfy, so nothing big this season, at least not at the beginning. But from his F2 and F3 dominance I would expect him to be a contender at the end and towards 27. Big question is if RLL is competitive, this even looks like a payed seat to me, so no idea if the car is anywhere near a Ganassi/Penske/McLaren car...or that he will change to one of them if he impresses at RLL.
- Ryan Hunter-Reay in the McLaren for the Indy500. Very strong car, will be nice to watch how he does.

[basti313]

Nice start to the new season.
- Will Power struggling more than expected. Malukas in contrast very strong in the Penske. I did not think this before...but the Penske team looks much stronger than Anretti. Newgarden back in the game!
- Palou with a weekend off...I fear he will be back stronger than before...
- Schumacher struggling much more on the tires than anticipated. In Q he showed his pace, but hopeless in the race. Similarly Herta is struggling in F2 to get any decent times on the Pirellis...also this surprises me, I knew the tires are difficult, but I would not believe, that they send a good driver to the end of the standings.

This weekend the new track in Arlington. I am very much looking forward to this. Should be a very nice differentiator with long straights and the horseshoe to kill the tires.

[mzso]

JR Hildebrand exploring a wing less car, interesting.....


https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... bird66.jpg


https://racer.com/2025/10/01/blackbird66mk1


Would be cool if they make a prototype, a modern version of this

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/imag ... 8&usqp=CAU

Loic Duval made one

https://cdn-4.motorsport.com/static/img ... -di-g.webp

What is the context? For what purpose?

[Vinyl Lap]

Yes, we've had two very good and different races to start the season. I particularly enjoyed Phoenix, but then again, I am a big Oval fan. So the Arlington race is a bittersweet one for me. As much as I'm looking forward to a new venue, I would've much preferred a race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

That being said, the track does look interesting. So as long as the racing is good, I won't be complaining too much.

And yes, I also expect Palou to bounce back in venomous form at Arlington. But I really hope there's a good fight for the victory with Ganassi, Penske and Andretti.

[FW17]

JR Hildebrand exploring a wing less car, interesting.....


https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/upl ... bird66.jpg


https://racer.com/2025/10/01/blackbird66mk1


Would be cool if they make a prototype, a modern version of this

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/imag ... 8&usqp=CAU

Loic Duval made one

https://cdn-4.motorsport.com/static/img ... -di-g.webp

What is the context? For what purpose?

The next car

[mzso]

The next car

You mean like a submission for a tender for the next Indycar spec car? (I'm not following Indycar closely)
Or is it just an enthusiasm project?

I somehow can't imagine Indycar going for a no-downforce spec.

[basti313]

I particularly enjoyed Phoenix, but then again, I am a big Oval fan.

Tell me more about this. What makes it more spectacular for you?
I am struggling with the ovals....like this weekend, I think Newgarden just won it because of the lucky FCY at the end...he pitted from out of position and then passed some of the front runners like they are standing still with fresh tires and fueled up.

So the Arlington race is a bittersweet one for me. As much as I'm looking forward to a new venue, I would've much preferred a race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

Do you know why they do not run anymore on the Speedway but introduced the new track?

I hope the track has good tarmac. I think this is the issue with some/most street circuits in Indy...if the tarmac is bad, bumpy and/or not grippy the racing goes down a "who can save more tire and fuel" route.

[FittingMechanics]

I particularly enjoyed Phoenix, but then again, I am a big Oval fan.

Tell me more about this. What makes it more spectacular for you?
I am struggling with the ovals....like this weekend, I think Newgarden just won it because of the lucky FCY at the end...he pitted from out of position and then passed some of the front runners like they are standing still with fresh tires and fueled up.

Many IndyCar races are decided by luck. Especially before Palou started to win majority of them. O'Ward pitted from P2 at the same time as Newgarden but wasn't able to win. The cars in front could have pitted as well, but just like in F1, sometimes they think that track position is more important and often it is. There could have been more cautions that would neutralize the race and make their tires last.

I can answer about ovals myself. To me the ovals are great because usually the cars stay close together and there is action all the time. Whether from cars on older tires or being lapped, etc. Often times they need multiple laps to setup a pass and it's an interesting tactical game.

[Vinyl Lap]

Tell me more about this. What makes it more spectacular for you?
I am struggling with the ovals....like this weekend, I think Newgarden just won it because of the lucky FCY at the end...he pitted from out of position and then passed some of the front runners like they are standing still with fresh tires and fueled up.

When I really began to get into IndyCar, the split between CART and IRL had just occurred. This was largely after Villeneuve joined F1, and I decided to invest time in properly looking into where he came from. As much as I found CART very enjoyable, particularly the cars, I found their choice of road and street courses made the racing feel very similar to F1. Simply Formula America, and unless there was a caution, things wouldn't really evolve. When they raced on ovals I found it much more exciting and different.

But with IRL, I simply found the danger and overall intensity of their races was much more exciting. Watching the likes of Hornish Jr, Kanaan, Lazier, Dixon and Scheckter literally racing two or three wide at 230mph was incredible. And when CART became ChampCar my interest in IRL really took off. The 2007 IRL season was immense, with Franchitti, Dixon, Kanaan and Wheldon all duelling. Only five of those 17 races were on road and street courses. The strategic side of an oval race is also really entertaining. A driver can qualify badly, like Power on Saturday, but then deploy an alternate strategy, hoping for an FCY, and they're right back in it. They can even lose a whole lap, but still come back if there's enough drama.

Do you know why they do not run anymore on the Speedway but introduced the new track?

Sadly it simply dropped off the calendar because a date for the race in 2024 couldn't be agreed upon. Attendance numbers were also quite low. Indy, Texas, Pocono and Fontana were always my favourites. I know some would say super-speedways are too dangerous today, but I'm old-fashioned in a way and simply think motor sport is dangerous, period. When cars reach 230mph during qualifying for Indy, it's just incredible!