[IndyCar] #14 Bijna halverwege de 500

quote:

INDIANAPOLIS - INDYCAR announced today that Chevrolet and Honda will provide distinct aerodynamic configurations for the IndyCar Series chassis beginning in 2015.

As part of its long-range focus on innovation, INDYCAR announced in June that aerodynamic bodywork "kits" would be introduced and utilized for all 2015 races and include separate specifications for superspeedways and road/street/short ovals.

The bodywork components mated to the Dallara rolling chassis will provide INDYCAR a platform for performance and efficiency developments. Fans can look forward to cars with new, distinctive looks that are branded by the manufacturers. This is a significant element in a suite of technical changes that make the cars capable of achieving higher speeds.

"Aero kits will improve the diversity of the fan experience and renew technical engagement, while providing a controlled cost structure," said Derrick Walker, president of competition and operations, INDYCAR.

The forward-thinking program is relevant to short- and long-term design and development objectives of the global automotive industry and aligns with research and development in multiple technology sectors. Additionally, an entrant's aero kits will be aligned with its manufacturer, with the car incorporating the name given by the supplier.

Beginning with 2016, additional engine manufacturers and/or third party vendors will be eligible to be an INDYCAR-approved supplier. Correspondingly, Chevrolet and Honda will be able to upgrade their aero kits, which will be approved through homologation.

"We are excited to be an IndyCar-approved supplier of an aero kit for our Chevrolet-powered teams beginning with the 2015 racing season," said Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing Program Manager for IndyCar Series. "It is a unique situation in non-production based series to provide engines and aerodynamic body kits. This will allow Chevrolet to impact a wider bandwidth of car performance which comes with increased responsibility to our teams to put them in a position to win. We are confident that our collective team of technical partners are capable, enabled and focused to succeed."

Added Honda Performance Development Inc., Technical Director Roger Griffiths: "We're looking forward to the introduction of aero kits in 2015. Along with continuing engine development, aero kits will provide another area for innovation and manufacturer competition. The introduction of bespoke bodywork from Honda and Chevrolet will provide fans with additional brand identification and that can only help IndyCar racing."

Examples of areas open for development by INDYCAR-approved aero configuration manufacturers include sidepods, engine cover and oval front wing main plane and end plates. Potential alterations to the car's undertray in an effort to advance safety are under consideration. On-track testing begins Oct. 6, 2014, and closes Jan. 18, 2015.

Highlights of the regulations:

- No entrant may use more than two aero kits during a season. The 2012 Dallara aero kit is approved as one of the aero kits.

- Dallara will continue to supply a number of standard components that affect aerodynamic performance.

- For the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, an entrant may use more than one aero kit during practice sessions. The aero kits utilized in qualifications must be used in the race.

- Entrants will be charged no more than $75,000 per aero kit by the supplier, inclusive of all components, but excluding fasteners. A 2016 upgrade kit will cost no more than $15,000.

- Six days of pre-production testing have been approved, with each supplier using a maximum of two cars from entrants. Engine mileage accrued will not count against the entrants' 10,000-mile-per-year allocation or engine count.

The aerodynamic platforms will complement engine manufacturer competition that returned to the IndyCar Series in 2012 following a six-year period in which Honda was the sole supplier.

For the 2014 season, both manufacturers will supply consumer-relevant 2.2-liter, twinturbocharged V6 engines using E85 fuel.

quote:

Takuma Sato will return to A.J. Foyt’s No. 14 ABC Supply Co. Honda in the 2014 IndyCar Series season, the team announced Tuesday. This marks the first time since 2011 Sato will stay in the same team in consecutive seasons; he moved from KV Racing to Rahal Letterman Lanigan between 2011 and 2012, and from RLL to Foyt last offseason.

“This team is really special for me,” Sato said. “I always felt that the team was behind me and it gave me the confidence to go for the win in races. I’m very excited to continue to build this great relationship. We know what we need to focus on next year. We are anxious to test the new Honda (twin turbo) engine. From what I hear, the engine will put us in a great position to be up front more often in 2014.”

Added team director Larry Foyt, “Taku, our engineers and mechanics all gelled quickly last year, and getting to victory lane together was something we are all very proud of. We are focused on building on the positives from last season and working toward more victories and a higher standing in the championship.”

Sato will continue into his fifth IndyCar season with engineer Don Halliday and performance engineer Raul Prados.

...

quote:

Op maandag 20 januari 2014 15:27 schreef 4-elements het volgende:
Dit jaar twee races op Indianapolis: op 10 mei op het voormalige F1-circuit, op 5 mei de Indy 500.

quote:

Op donderdag 17 oktober 2013 19:51 schreef sasquatsch het volgende:
Vandaag is de IndyCar kalender voor 2014 bekend gemaakt.

18 races met drie doubleheaders in 5 maanden tijd. 6 oval races, 8 straatraces en 4 races op permanente circuits. 8 races zijn op zaterdag. Er is bewust gekozen om veel races in korte tijd te houden om op het netvlies te blijven en niet zoals dit jaar te grote gaten tussen de evenementen te hebben. Daarnaast is er bewust gekozen om clashes met Nascar en het football seizoen te vermijden.

De kalender:

March 30 – St. Petersburg
April 13 – Long Beach
April 26 – Barber Park
May 10 – IMS road course
May 17-18 – Indy 500 qualifying.
May 25 – Indianapolis 500
May 31 – Detroit race 1
June 1 – Detroit race 2
June 7 – Texas
June 28 – Houston race 1
June 29 – Houston race 2
July 6 – Pocono
July 12 – Iowa
July 19 – Toronto race 1
July 20 – Toronto race 2
August 3 – Mid-Ohio
August 17 – Milwaukee
August 24 – Sonoma
August 30 – Fontana

quote:

Sebastian Saavedra will join KV Racing Technology for Wednesday’s IndyCar Series test at Sonoma Raceway, and he will be part of the team’s 2014 program alongside Sebastien Bourdais.

Details of the Saavedra deal will come during a Wednesday news conference, but the 23-year-old Colombian will partner with Bourdais as he did last year at Dragon Racing.

Dragon is not competing full time at the moment, although team owner Jay Penske has said he will participate in the Indianapolis 500.

Saavedra has competed in 38 IndyCar Series races with minimal success. He has never led a race lap and has finished in the top 10 only twice, both times last season.

Saavedra made his IndyCar debut with Bryan Herta Autosport in the 2010 Indianapolis 500, then spent the next season with Conquest Racing. With AFS Racing’s Gary Peterson as a backer, he ran in 2012 as part of the Andretti Autosport contingent for three races.

His eighth-place finish last year at Baltimore is a career best.

quote:

Sauber has named Simona De Silvestro as “an affiliated driver”. The 25-year-old Swiss women has been racing in the United States since 2006, competing in Indycar since 2010, when she was Indy 500 “Rookie of the Year”. She finished second in Houston last year. The goal is to take part in a preparation programme with Sauber, with the goal of gaining a Superlicence and preparing for a race seat in Formula 1 for 2015. The programme will include on track testing, simulator training, as well as mental and physical preparation.

“This is a major step towards me achieving a life-long dream and I’m so happy to have the opportunity to take this step with such a great team,” the Swiss girl said. “The Sauber F1 Team is a team with a legacy and the only Swiss team in Formula 1, which I think makes this even more exciting. I can’t thank Monisha Kaltenborn and Peter Sauber enough for their support and belief in my abilities and for giving me this chance.”

Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn said: “Simona’s ambition is to enter Formula 1 in 2015. We regard her as a very talented race driver, and we, therefore, decided to take her on board as an “affiliated driver” and support her on her way to the pinnacle of motorsport.”

De Silvestro is expected to continue to race in Indycar this year but will return to Europe for tests with Sauber.

quote:

Jacques Villeneuve is set to return to the Indianapolis 500 19 years after he won the event.

The Canadian is expected to be announced this week in a third entry for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, alongside Simon Pagenaud and Mikhail Aleshin.

He raced in the then Champcar series in 1994 and 1995. He scored his maiden win at Elkhart Lake in his first season and went on to win both the title and the 500 the following year, before heading to F1 with Williams.

Villeneuve, who turns 43 in April, is also competing in rallycross this year.

quote:

Saturday, May 17 (11 a.m.-5:50 p.m. ET)

• The fastest 33 cars compose the starting field (but not starting positions).
• All entries are guaranteed at least one four-lap attempt to qualify.
• The fastest nine entries advance to the Fast Nine Shootout.

Sunday, May 18 (10:15 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ET)

• Saturday times are erased and entries 10-33 must complete another four-lap attempt to determine their starting position in order of the slowest to fastest from Saturday times.
Fast Nine Shootout, Sunday, May 18 (2-2:45 p.m. ET)