All-purpose open-wheel (F1, IRL) racing thread

So, Gavin Newsom brought this about, no?

 

IndyCar’s engine package for 2023 and beyond involves 2.4-liter twin-turbo V-6 engines with a KERS. Chevrolet and Honda have made long-term commitments to the series.

IndyCar to Add Hybrid Power in 2023, Aim For 1000 Horsepower — Road & Track

 

ICS still needs more eyeballs and a better TV deal that doesn't require the 500 to cover the cost of the rest of the schedule, in addition to about two dozen other problems. But I still see two relatively easy fixes that will also help the racing product.

1. Fix the "aero wash" issue to allow faster cars to pass on ovals.

When the leader of a race can't get through slower traffic because of dirty air from a backmarker, let alone passing throughout the field, that's a major problem. It can't be that difficult to find a combination of airflow from the leading car and downforce from the trailing one -- without resorting to a Hanford device -- to fix this. I don't want a return to the "sitting duck" situation of a few years' back when the trailing car could suck up and pass at will, leading to all this blocking and weaving. But every driver reports their car gets loose in traffic, which should be an indication that the cars need more grip on the front end. And yet, a lot of the drivers want less drag.

2. Force the drivers to lift in the turns.

Maybe the increase in horsepower will help faster cars chase down slower ones. A tire compound that doesn't degregate so quickly could allow for more two-groove action, although "marbles" are an issue in all forms of racing and I'd hate to see Firestone manufacture a rubber rock like Goodyear does for NASCAR. I'd just like to see the driver skill as a greater part of equation, instead of the best engineered setup allowing these drivers to "point and shoot" the cars without lifting. What's the point of putting a driver in the cockpit if he doesn't have the capability of using his experience and talent to outdrive his competition?

The road and street course product appears to be just fine. But going in, we all knew the 500 was going to be a follow the leader kind of race, just because of the ambient temperature and the current aero kit. If you're basically a spec series, there's little to differentiate the best from the worst, other than the luck of the draw (qualifying) or your luck on the track (traffic and pit stops).

 

Hamilton tying Schumacher was a nice moment from Sunday, and his overtake of Bottas was excellent. Bottas, good as he is, needs to drive nearly flawlessly if he's going to beat Hamilton wheel to wheel, and one mistake on Sunday cost him.

I was mostly happy to see Ricciardo get the podium. I think they said it was his first since 2018 and, as usual, his exuberance made it fun to see him back up there. I also enjoy the idea that Cyril will get a tattoo of Ricciardo's choosing.

There were quite a few good scraps and while Hamilton won easily, it was an enjoyable race. I don't think I've ever seen an F1 race at the Nurburgring. Looked like a difficult circuit, which I suppose is why the call it The Green Hell (a good documentary on Amazon, BTW).

 

The Nurburgring is a terrific circuit. They hadn't been there since 2013 because the track just can't afford it -- the German support kind of dropped off after Schumacher left, and I think they probably lose some fans to Spa, which is only about 50 miles away.

"The Green Hell" is specifically a reference to the old Nurburgring circuit, usually referred to as the Nordschleife. It was 14 miles long and dangerous as hell. They stopped using the track out of safety concerns in the late 70s. (It's where Niki Lauda had his accident.) The track still exists and you can drive on it -- a section of it is right next to the modern circuit and was visible on some of the helicopter shots this weekend.

 

I was watching the Xfinity race and they had a couple brief cut-ins to Road Atlanta. These drivers were barreling through the turns and there is no light on the track except from the headlights.

They're nuts.

 

Part of the Nordschleife's problem was one or two spots on the course where the cars could go airborne ... no F1 sled is like the General Lee. Another problem was the course's length and number of corners made staffing that track much more costly than any other in F1. Germany was not going to continue footing the bill. You think for one moment that Bernie Ecclestone was going to negotiate his rate to help out?

 

Yep. And even after the expense of staffing it the safety crew was still woefully inadequate. There were 160 corners over 14 miles. You can't get the marshals and equipment to cover that. That's why other drivers had to save Niki Lauda after his crash.

On top of that, TV was becoming a factor in the later 70s and the Nordschleife couldn't have been worse for TV. Huge expanses of the track had no cameras and they only did like 14 laps. You could cover that now, though not very well, with a helicopter and fixed cameras. Back then it was an impossibility. (The money was an issue but not a Bernie thing -- he owned the Brabham team back then. Larger point stands, though.)

Ultimately the Nordschleife is a lot lot the banking at Monza -- a really cool relic of the sport that just doesn't have a place in modern racing. (I've stood on the banking at Monza. Those guys were CRAZY.)

 

If you want a sort of an idea of what both the Nordschleife and Monza are like, play the newest version of Gran Turismo, simply designated "Gran Turismo Sport." Has the two tracks above plus Spa and the new Nurburgring where last week's Grand Prix was held.

"Sort of an idea" because while the simulated responses are strong in terms of graphics, oversteer/understeer, etc., it's not the same as being in a full simulator.

 

Slick.

 

There are tons of Youtube videos of people driving the Nordschleife. It's scary as hell at speed. I think that you could use drones to get a lot of coverage inexpensively now, but the idea of today's cutting edge cars on it seems incredibly risky for no good reason. I'd also question running on a track with 7 1/2 minute lap times. It's still hard to cover the whole thing, and you'd lose the drama of watching drivers making a run of overtakes.

Doing it right, and keep in mind that this is the Porsche with a functioning back seat, or at least the stripped down racing version of it.

Then there's what happens when you run it poorly...