Here's a decade-by-decade look at the evolution of Indy race cars Joe Spears
INDIANAPOLIS — Out with the old and in with the ... old? That's the idea behind IndyCar's next evolution of race car, which borrows upon design elements of bygone eras to create a new retro chic look.
IndyCar revealed Wednesday the latest images of its new car with a uniform body kit that will debut in the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2018.
"While this remains a work in progress, we are encouraged with where the development of the 2018 car stands," IndyCar president of competition and operations Jay Frye said in a news release. "The look of the car is bold, the performance data from simulations is meeting targeted goals and safety enhancements built into the design will be substantial."
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Frye said IndyCar plans to begin testing the car by mid-summer. Teams will be able to choose between Chevrolet and Honda engines next season, but all the cars will have the same universal kits. The supplier of the universal kit has yet to be announced.
The initial concepts, which outline the bodywork that will cover the Dallara IR-12 chassis, were revealed in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The biggest change will be that the new car's downforce will originate from the undercarriage instead of the wings on top, many of which will disappear. This change is designed not only to make the car look sleeker and sexier, but also to generate more passing, as drivers will have less turbulence to deal with when closing on other cars.
An artist's sketches of the 2018 aerokit concepts for IndyCar. (Photo: George Sipple, DFP)
"We've been working on the aerodynamics to suit the look, rather than the other way around," Tino Belli, IndyCar director of aerodynamic development, said in the release.
"We're working on creating more of the downforce from the underwing," Belli said. "The hole in the floor (of the undertray on this year's car) will be sealed for the road courses and short ovals, but will still be open for the superspeedways."
Drivers seem to like the new changes.
"Definitely some throwbacks to the old Indy cars and Champ cars of old," James Hinchcliffe said in February after getting his first look at the renderings. "I think it's the right direction aesthetically certainly. But the most important things are the performances goals, and if we hit that, then the quality of the racing will be tremendous, as it has been, but we can make it better, and that's what the goal is for the new car."
Graham Rahal added: "I think the new car — you know, I haven't seen the finished product by any means — but I think it looks pretty awesome. I'm excited about it. For me, it's more like what I feel an IndyCar should look like."
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Source: www.bing.com