Tag: NTT Indycar Series

A Few Positive Notes

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After a very rough week of bad new, there are some positive Indycar stories toshare.

Callum Ilott will drive in the WEC series in2024 for Team JOTA. The team has a sponsorship deal with former NFL quarterback Tom Brady and Hertz. Ilott will still be available to drive in the Indianapolis 500 and possibly some other Indycar events.

There will be a second season of100 Days to Indy, which will have the same production crew as in 2023. The first season of the mini documentary will also be released internationally. I hope the new season focuses on some different drivers so viewers can get a taste of al the personalities in the series.

I think the series also needs a 100 Days After Indy series. to teach the populace that the year doesn’t end with the 500.

DHL’s move to Ganassi keeps a long running sponsor in the series. It would not feel right not seeing that yellow and red car on track. I wonder how many races it will take for me to realize it’s the 10, not the 28, and that Alex Palou, not Romain Grosjean or Ryan Hunter-Reay is driving.

This afternoon the series announced that Ilmor will service the ERS units when they come on board later in the season. The units will be leased similar to the engines but will have a 5,000 mile limit. Each car would need two per full season. Nothing was mentioned about penalties should a team need a third unit. I don’t think there will be one, since they are all the same.

Friday evening at 5 pm the Borg Warner trophy’s newest image will be unveiled in a ceremony at the Stutz building in downtown Indianapolis. 023 500 winner Josef Newgarden will get his first look at his face on the trophy. Fans can watch the unveil live on the IMS YouTube Channel.

DHL, Ganassi Sign Multi-Year Agreement

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Chip Ganassi Racing and DHL today announced a multi-year agreement to sponsor Alex Palou in car10. DHL had been a long-time sponsor of car 28 for Andretti Global driven for several years by Ryan Hunter-Reay and in 2022 and 2023 by Romain Grosjean.

The official announcement:

Chip Ganassi Racing and DHL Express today announced a new multi-year partnership, establishing DHL as the primary partner of the No. 10 Honda driven by two-time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou. The new agreement sees the 15-time INDYCAR SERIES champions joining forces with the world’s leading global shipping and logistics company.

Palou and the No. 10 team will kick off their 2024 championship-defending season at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in March, just a few hundred miles away from the DHL Regional Headquarters in Plantation, Florida.

“I am extremely proud to welcome DHL to the Chip Ganassi Racing family,” said Chip Ganassi. “It is an honor to partner with an organization that shares our fundamental values of teamwork, growth, responsibility, and the pursuit of excellence. Together, we are committed to embodying those values both on and off the racetrack. I am looking forward to Alex and the No. 10 team defending their 2023 title with DHL on board. The road ahead holds great promise and potential, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Founded in 1969, DHL was established as a courier service that delivered clearance documents between San Francisco and Honolulu by air, so they would arrive at Customs before the freight itself. Today, DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry and one of the most international companies, with about 395,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Chip Ganassi Racing, an organization that has a rich history of success, deeply rooted in principles shared by DHL, such as a commitment to supporting the communities we call home, and the relentless pursuit of excellence by investing in our people who embody speed, passion, and dedication,” said Mike Parra, CEO of DHL Express Americas and Head of Global Sponsorships. “As we sponsor this winning motorsports team with Alex Palou behind the wheel, we look forward to many winning moments both on and off the track in the months and years to come.”

“It’s super exciting to announce our new partnership with DHL, a global leader in logistics. Representing such a successful and widely recognized brand is a true honor,” said Palou. “Their iconic yellow and red colors not only stand out, but they also remind me of my native Spain’s colors. As our team looks back at our remarkable success last year, we are eager to carry that momentum forward and aim for a third title with the support of DHL. I am especially thrilled to hit the ground running alongside the dedicated men and women of our 10-car crew in 2024.”

Palou’s 2023 season was one for the record books, as he became just the sixth driver in the 100-plus-year history of the sport to win multiple championships at 26 or younger (Mario Andretti, Sebastien Bourdais, A.J. Foyt, Sam Hornish Jr., Louis Meyer). He also became the first driver to clinch the championship prior to the season finale since 2007. 

The Barcelona, Spain, native will now be looking to secure a third career championship, something no driver has achieved since his teammate and six-time champion Scott Dixon in 2013 and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Advisor Dario Franchitti in 2010.

Keeping Honda Indycar’s Primary Objective

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Let’s put aside complaining about no new chassis and the delay of then hybrid system. Indycar has a bigger problem now.

A week of bad Indycar news got even worse Friday when Marshall Pruett published in Racer magazine that Honda is considering leaving Indycar when its contract expires after 2026. HPD wants cost reductions and would welcome a third OEM to reduce their supply burden. The series has tried in vain to add a third engine supplier.

It was hoped that adding the hybrid component would attract another engine, but the series’ frustration with launching the energy recovery system has halted any progress in that regard.

Honda has been a bedrock of Indycar racing since 1994. They were the sole engine supplier from 2006-2011, literally saving the IRL.

Should Honda leave, would Chevrolet be willing to supply 27 full time cars? Would the Indianapolis have 33 entries? It’s doubtful that there would be more than that.

As a fan I find the engine competition fascinating. How many other fans feel that way and would lose interest in a series with a single manufacturer?

There are solutions, many which have been suggested by others. The most obvious is a spec engine, perhaps a bit less sophisticated and cheaper to build. Cosworth and Ilmor could run unbadged powerplants.

A third OEM is the best solution. Ideally no manufacturer would need to supply more than 12 cars for the 500.

As I researched this topic, I found that this is not the first time Honda has expressed doubt about continuing in the series. I found an article by Gordon Kirby from 2007 in which Robert Clarke, then head of Honda IRL program, talked about what needed to be done.

The entire article, which is worth your time, can be found here:

https://www.gordonkirby.com/categories/columns/theway/2007/the_way_it_is_no102.html

An excerpt:

Clarke believes the key to attracting other manufacturers into the IRL is to write hybrid and energy-preserving technologies into the rules for 2011, matters discussed at length in this space over the course of this year.

“My thought is the series needs to become more relevant in using a product and technology which is related more toward production car technologies,” Clarke said. “We need something that we can actually talk about and promote. Right now, there’s nothing we can talk about, other than Honda quality and reliability.

“If the IRL were to embrace real-world challenges like fuel consumption, emissions, noise, and using energy better, I think other manufacturers will take notice. Hopefully, that would cause them to enter the series because they really can’t afford to let us continue to do it on our own and not be involved.

Indycar has always been more reactive than proactive when it comes to change. It is time to change the way they do things. Honda was fair to give htree year’s notice, but that is not a lot of time.

Let’s Wait Another Year

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Photo: Will Power at the IMS hybrid test.

Today’s news about Indycar’s delaying the new hybrid component was not a complete shock. Statements from Jay Frye and Mark Miles left a lot of doubt that the system would be up and running by the St. Pete opening round.

News trickled out slowly this morning. First came word that the December test in which all teams would have a chance to test the new configuration was cancelled. Miles still insisted that the series would be ready to debut on opening weekend, and that there was no Plan B.

Then early this afternoon Indycar posted a slick PR release announcing that they are working on the hybrid component, and it will debut when it’s ready, sometime in the second half of the season. The second half of the season begins at Mid Ohio July 7.

Indycar press release:

Development of INDYCAR Hybrid Unit Sees Significant Steps in Preparation for 2024 

It appears the issue is the supply chain, although I suspect there are still problems with consistency and reliability of the unit. It seemed to be working well at the oval test at IMS in October, and the drivers seemed intrigued by the potential of the new tool in their toolbox.

No matter how this situation is spun, it is not a good look for Indycar. Fans are eager for something new. My preference would have been a new car. The series has very stale optics- a 12 year old car and engine formula; little change in race weekend formats, for example. While hybrid technology is intriguing and could change the racing strategy, it is not something that a fan can see.

A postponement is probably the correct call. Indycar must get this right. The first half of the season would likely see a lot of mechanical issues, which the series would not want at Thermal or the Indianapolis 500.

I think the call to wait is fine, but it doesn’t go far enough. We have waited this long, and Indycar already lags F1, WEC, and IMSA in introducing a hybrid unit. What is the harm in waiting until 2025?

The release said teams will be testing through the first half of the year. Not every team has the units, and there is no timeline for them to get them. Once the season begins, there are not many times for testing. There is one week after St. Pete, three weeks after the Thermal VIP event, and one week after Barber, which teams might want for Indianapolis preparation. Competiton takes up five consecutive weekends beginning in May.

Another factor to consider is competitive balance. Four teams-Team Penske, Arrow McLaren, Chip Ganassi Racing, and Andretti Global – have done all the testing. The other six teams do not have any chance at getting in the mileage that those four have had during 2024.

The second half of next season could see races with higher than normal attrition and could affect the championship down the stretch. The end of the schedule is oval heavy, and I am still not sure how a hybrid works on an oval.

The six teams who have yet to run the new power units could have a potentially decent season ruined by the mid-year introduction of new rules. The NBA doesn’t make baskets from behind the arc worth four points after the All-Star break.

The positive in today’s events is that Indycar realized that their hard St. Pete deadline was not attainable, and they adjusted. I think they need to adjust even more, and let’s wait until 2025 at St. Pete to introduce the hybrids.

Development of INDYCAR Hybrid Unit Sees Significant Steps in Preparation for 2024 

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From Indycar. Commentary to follow in a bit.

 Collaboration To Take Most Competitive Racing in World to New Heights
INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023) – Since the initial on-track testing of hybrid components over a year ago, development of the new NTT INDYCAR SERIES 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine with hybrid technology has passed many significant milestones.
The INDYCAR SERIES 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine was initially paired and tested with the hybrid unit Aug. 16, 2023, at Sebring International Raceway. In just three months, a total of 15,256 miles of testing have been successfully completed with the new power unit among 13 NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers.
The much-anticipated debut of the new power unit is expected to launch after the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, during the second half of the 2024 INDYCAR SERIES season.
“The partnership between Chevrolet and Honda has been phenomenal,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “The INDYCAR-specific hybrid power unit is dynamic and an engineering marvel, and we’re completely committed to its successful introduction next season.”
The INDYCAR SERIES, Chevrolet and Honda are working in collaboration on the development of the first-of-its-kind hybrid unit with testing on tracks that mirror the disciplines of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Sessions have included ovals at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Milwaukee Mile and World Wide Technology Raceway, road courses at IMS, Road America and Barber Motorsports Park and the street circuit-like surface at Sebring.
INDYCAR’s hybrid power unit will enhance the racing action with additional horsepower and further the series’ efforts to deliver the most competitive motorsport on the planet. The new powerplant unit will feature additional overtake (“push-to-pass”) options, ultimately giving INDYCAR SERIES drivers more choices and control – enhancing the on-track competition and excitement.
The start of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season is expected to feature enhanced possibilities of track records with lighter chassis components (aeroscreen, bellhousing and gearbox) prepared for the hybrid addition. Once the hybrid unit is integrated, the remaining 2024 races will feature the intensified engineering and wheel-to-wheel precision of the hybrid power era.
The hybrid system is made up of the Motor Generator Unit (MGU) and Energy Storage System (ESS), which both fit inside the bellhousing, located between the INDYCAR SERIES combustion engine and the gearbox. Multiple strategies for regeneration and deployment have been tested as the power unit builds and transmits energy through the MGU before being saved in the ultracapacitor ESS.
The additional horsepower is deployed through the same motor generator. Unlike the traditional INDYCAR “push-to-pass” system, the hybrid power unit will not have a restriction on total time used over the course of a race.
Additional testing and continued development of the hybrid package will continue throughout the winter and spring months ahead of the first race in 2024.
More information on the competitive launch of the hybrid unit will be announced at a later date.
The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins Sunday, March 10 at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. Coverage will be available via NBC and Peacock with audio coverage provided by the INDYCAR Radio Network, SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

Does Indycar Need a New ‘Big Event?’

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After reading an article by Marshall Pruett in Racer magazine in which Mark Miles discussed a possible “big event” for Indycar in 2025, I’m wondering just what is a big event? I thought Indycar already had at least a couple.

Is there a bigger event in racing than the Indianapolis 500? Isn’t Long Beach a big event? Iowa is approaching that status with the concert lineups they have had, the Nashville finale in 2024 could be on its way to that elite status.

I assume Miles is talking about a new street event in one a large, glamorous city. Since NASCAR has Chicago and F1 has Miami and Las Vegas, what remains? New York? Maybe. Boston? Not a chance. Denver? Possibly.

There seems to be a trend across motorsport to hold races in locales that offer entertainment which comes close to making the racing secondary. Iowa is close to this point, and I am concerned that Nashville could also fall into the same trap. Indycar needs to find a better balance un a new event than F1 had in Las Vegas. The race there turned out to be quite entertaining, but did it create new F1 fans?

Should the series proceed with a new “big splash” venue, they need to choose an area not served by IndyCar at present. The northeast has not seen an Indycar race since the series removed Pocono from the schedule.

A new event would have to make sense financially for all the series stakeholders. Will the new venue be a schedule expansion, or will a current venue drop off the calendar?

I applaud the series for wanting to try a different event presentation- some races could use a little more pizzazz- but wouldn’t it be even simpler to tweak things at some of their current big events?

Some Racing Notes and a Look at the 2024 Indycar Grid

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I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend. We are just past the halfway point to the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500. I have just a couple of notes, and I wanted to do an update on the grid for 2024. After a very busy off season, the grid seems to be stalled with three seats remaining.

Norris McDonald

Sad news today about the death of the dean of Canadian motorsports journalism Norris McDonald. McDonald, 81, was automotive editor of the Toronto Star. I never had the honor of meeting him, but I always enjoyed his writing and passion for motor racing.

I may not have always liked what he wrote, but it was hard to disagree with him. I know how much mu Canadian journalism friends are hurting today. Condolences to them and McDonald’s family.

Sebastian Wheldon Wins Skip Barber Series

On a happier note, Sebastian Wheldon won the Skip Barber Racing Series last week. Wheldon won six races during the season, but he needed strong finishes in the double header final weekend. Wheldon had a win and a fifth place result to clinch the championship.

The 14-year-old son of the late two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon and his brother Oliver have a development contract with Andretti Global.

The Grid- Close to Finished

Twenty four of the 27 full time seats are set for the 2024 Indycar grid. The only openings are two at Dale Coyne Racing and one at A. J. Foyt Racing.

At Foyt the number 14 car is still a question mark. Santino Ferrucci, I think, will drive the ovals at least, but who will take the wheel for the road and street circuits is still up for debate.

At Coyne I am totally in the dark. Enzo Fittipaldi was mentioned as a possibility, but today it appears as if he might be slated for a seat in F2.

Could Coyne be where Callum Ilott lands? I think Ilott would thrive there. Coyne can produce some decent results, and Ilott could deliver for this team.

The confirmed lineup:

Ganassi– Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, Marcus Armstrong, Kyffin Simpson, Linus Lundqvist

Penske– Josef Newgarden, Scott Mclaughlin, Will Power

Andretti– Colton Herta, Kyle Kirkwood, Marcus Ericsson

Arrow McLaren- Pato O’Ward, Alexander Rossi, David Malukas

Rahal Letterman Lanigan– Graham Rahal, Christian Lundgaard, Pietro Fittipaldi

Meyer Shank– Felix Rosenqvist, Tom Blomqvist

Juncos Hollinger– Romain Grosjean, Agustin Canapino

Carpenter– Rinus Veekay, *Christian Rasmussen (road/street) Ed Carpenter (ovals)

Foyt– Benjamin Pedersen

*shared ride- car 20

RLL Extends Graham Rahal Contract

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From Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing:

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (November 13, 2023) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that the team has entered into a new multi-year agreement that will see Graham Rahal continue to compete for the team in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Rahal earned two of the final four poles in 2023, made three front row starts and returned to the podium at the Gallagher Grand Prix at Indianapolis with a second-place finish in what was the closest finish recorded on the road course with a margin of -0.4779 to the winner, Dixon, after he led a race-high 36 laps.

Rahal’s rookie season of INDYCAR competition was in 2007 and he joined RLL full time in 2013. Since that time, he has earned three of his five career poles and five of his six career wins with RLL and contended for the championship in the final race of the 2015 season from a second-place rank. Rahal joins teammates Christian Lundgaard and Pietro Fittipaldi for RLL’s 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES lineup.

The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season begins with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 10 and the 17-race schedule includes the return of the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Weekend doubleheader on Saturday, July 13 and 14 – both at Iowa Speedway. For more information about the series or team, visit http://www.indycar.com and http://www.rahal.com.

QUOTEBOARD:

GRAHAM RAHAL, Driver of the No. 15 Honda: “I’m extremely excited to get a new multi-year agreement in place and hopefully continue to build and improve the team. At the end of the season, we saw some glimpses of what we can and should be. Obviously, there is a lot of work still to be done to ensure that we continue to grow and get ourselves in a place for continuous success but I’m excited about the signs that I saw. I’m also excited to continue working with the tremendous partners that we have. It was important to me to continue to represent them and hopefully do a great job for them as we go forward. I’m glad that we were able to come together with Mike, my dad, David (Letterman) and everyone at the organization to continue together.”

BOBBY RAHAL, Co-Owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “We are pleased to have been able to come to an agreement with Graham to drive for the team for the coming years. Clearly, when we’ve given him a car that he likes he shows what he can do by running up front. Two pole positions, really within a fraction of a second for a third this year and led many laps. All of that should reaffirm to everyone what he is capable of. He’s as driven as ever to win races and it’s exciting to watch. Clearly the efforts of the team over the off season are to ensure we have competitive cars at every race next year, including the Indy 500.”

MIKE LANIGAN, Co-Owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “I have worked with Graham for the last 18 years, first as a 17-year-old in the Atlantic Series and many years as an INDYCAR driver.  Watching him grow and excel not only in racing, but also off the track, has been very impressive. Signing him with RLL will certainly continue to enhance the team’s ability to succeed in the competitive world we race in. His experience and knowledge in all aspects of racing is one the team will take full advantage of.”

Is Juncos a Better Fit for Grosjean?

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Romain Grosjean’s move to Juncos Hollinger Racing could turn out to be a good thing for his Indycar career. At the media availability last Thursday, Grosjean expressed tempered optimism with modest, reasonable goals while praising the achievements of the team and their rookie driver, Agustin Canapino.

He admits that there are challenges on the small two car team. Grosjean will drive a Chevrolet after three years of Honda power. He has to learn the dynamics of a new team and an owner with a different management style than former boss michael Andretti has.. Grosjean joins Juncos Hollinger as the most experienced driver and team leader by default.

Grosjean thins the introduction of hybrid system may help level the field a bit in 2024, since it is new to everyone. he thinks the team can be competitive as they were at the end of this past year.

There are some things we won’t know until the new season gets underway. How will he handle a disagreement with Ricardo Juncos? How will Canapino’s fans react should the teammates have an on track incident? Will the team show Grosjean support should a clash occur?

While we have to see how the year goes, and whether the team can regain some of the good will they had with many fans before the end of 2023, I still think overall, that this ride may be the best fit Grosjean has had in Indycar.

The size of the team should increase his comfort level. I got the feeling he didn’t like driving for a team the size of Andretti, who had four drivers plus an affiliation with the two drivers at Meyer Shank Racing. Grosjean was impressive as a rookie at Dale Coyne Racing at a team similar in size to Juncos Hollinger Racing. I think this is the size of team that suits him best.

Grosjean said his goals are to get the team closer to the top ten if not into the top ten. I believe that is a reasonable goal. If the team dynamic factors align, Grojean and JHR could have a decent 2024 season.