IndyCar trying to tweak Indy 500 aero package
What were they doing there? Looking for ways to make the 103rd running better that the last.
Reigning 500 champion Will Power and third-place finisher Scott Dixon represented Chevrolet and Honda at the test, as they worked with IndyCar and Firestone to see if they could develop a better aero package and tire for next year’s "Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
While many enjoyed this year's 500 — the first with IndyCar's new era body kit — reviews were mixed. Those who voiced displeasure with the race — which includes some voices from inside and outside the paddock — complained about the drivers' inability to pass as frequently as they had in recent years. Teams and drivers assigned blame for that on the cars being so hard to handle in dirty air. Drivers struggled to maneuver in traffic, so that was an area IndyCar targeted in Monday's test.
"The general comment was guys complaining about mid-exit understeer, especially in traffic, so we did some wind tunnel stuff we thought would address that and put it to the test here, and now we're getting feedback from both drivers," said Bill Pappas, IndyCar's Vice President of Competition and Race Engineering, and one of the people chiefly responsible for the development of the new universal aero kits. "We're still looking at the data and talking to the drivers. And we still have more testing to come in October."
Pappas added that both he and IndyCar were pleased with this year's 500, but there's no doubt it can be improved. Not only can IndyCar work on developing a better aero package for the race, and Firestone a better tire, but Mother Nature can play her part, too.
This year's 500 was among the hottest ever, and the heat made it very difficult for cars to grip the track. If the weather cooperates a bit better next May, Pappas has a little doubt the racing will be better.
"We’re optimistic," he said, explaining that IndyCar was testing a different front-wing end plate and the panel for the under-wing. "We're trying to come up with some solutions that don’t force the teams to go out and scrap a whole lot of parts. It wasn’t, from our perspective, a horrible race, so we just want to fine-tune. We want to give the guys a little more consistency in traffic.
"May was just sort of the perfect storm. Conditions were worse than they’d ever been here, and it just makes things difficult. Next year if conditions are as bad, guys will know what to expect, and if they’re not, we’re working to find some things that will improve the race a little bit."
Dixon and Power joined Pappas in his optimism. The two ran close together often during the morning session of Monday's test, and Dixon said running in Power's wake was easier than expected. He warned, however, that driving in the dirty air of one car is much different than driving in traffic, so it's tough to tell if improvements had been made.
Power said he's expecting next year's 500 to feature better racing, if only because teams will have a much better understanding of the cars' characteristics after this year's race. However, he, like Pappas, is hoping for a bit better cooperation from Mother Nature. If this year's 500 was only 10 degrees cooler, Power said, it would have been a completely different race — not that he's complaining about it played out.
"Everything else is just a bonus once you’ve won this race — and a championship," said Power, who won his first 500 and achieved racing immortality on his 11th try at it. "That’s what you need to do in IndyCar. Now it’s just about adding onto that. It’s a big sense of relief.
"I would have finished my career very disappointed if I hadn’t won an Indy 500. This year will feel like a success no matter what happens the rest of the year." Indy Star