2010 IndyCar Series

[Bram Hengeveld]

The central IndyCar 2010 thread for all your news, rumors, and race reports

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

DeltaWing LLC, of Indianapolis, introduced the future of open wheel racing today at the Chicago Auto Show, aimed at realigning America’s premiere racing tradition with current automobile industry and consumer trends. DeltaWing calls on technological innovation to return racing to cutting edge relevance in the search for extreme performance with less environmental and financial resources.
“Today marks a fundamental shift in how race fans and the general public will view all racing cars in the future; this is a game changer” said Dan Partel, Chief Executive Officer of DeltaWing LLC. “This radical prototype takes open wheel racing to a new level from both an engineering standpoint and the overall spectator experience.”
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]The car also marks the next step in the industry’s dedication to becoming more environmentally responsible. DeltaWing has identified that this marketplace trend can be applied to the IZOD IndyCar Series and has developed this concept car using the most advanced American technology.
By targeting reduced aerodynamic drag and lighter weight, the DeltaWing design achieves record breaking on track performance with only half the engine power of its recent predecessors. The unique vehicle design provides optimum and consistent distribution of loading for the Firestone Firehawk tires, which are specifically developed for the dynamic characteristics of the DeltaWing racer. The futuristic form aims to appeal to a younger demographic audience who is increasingly in search of technological innovations to solve the requirement for sustainable personal mobility. DeltaWing LLC will design, engineer and supply a running prototype by August, 2010.
[h=3]Revolutionary design from every angle[/h]

• Ultra narrow front track design saves weight, while fairings for the Firestone tires reduces aerodynamic drag and prevents wheel interlocking
• Delta plan view shape provides undisturbed airflow to the downforce generating ground effect underbody venturi located beneath the car’s center of gravity just ahead of the widely spaced rear wheels. Highly efficient downforce with negligible wake ensures minimal loss of aerodynamic performance for a trailing car thus enhancing the on-track overtaking spectacle
• Uncluttered side view with rearwards driver location provides ideal sponsorship positioning and true single-seater appeal. The highly prominent tail fin replaces the conventional inverted aerofoil in order to broaden the yaw stability envelope without inducing aerodynamic drag on straight-aways

“We are confident that this car will outperform the current generation IndyCar and do it in a more environmentally friendly way,” said Partel. “Auto racing has always been a powerful marketing tool for propelling new technology into the hearts and minds of consumers. This new car was specifically designed to be more closely aligned with the new reality of automobiles that are arriving on the road today. Consumers are choosing cars that provide impressive performance capabilities but with greater fuel efficiency. This prototype IndyCar features those same characteristics, making it much more relevant to the public and the auto industry. It is our goal to make participation in the series highly attractive to the automobile manufacturers as well as the fuel, technology, information and entertainment corporate sectors.”
DeltaWing anticipates the final car will weigh a remarkable 50 percent less than the current generation IndyCar and crucially, generate only half of the aerodynamic drag. This combination requires substantially less horsepower to generate speeds of over 235 miles per hour while delivering a 100% improvement in fuel efficiency.
“Our goal is to have our first prototype on the track in August,” said Partel. “We look forward to an exciting development project with the Indy Racing League to ensure that all of their requirements are met for DeltaWing to become the next IZOD IndyCar in 2012.”
“Today, we saw the future of racing unveiled”, said Bill Lafontaine, Chief Marketing Officer. “This revolutionary car and business concept ushers in a new era in racing and reinforces the strong tradition of innovation in open wheel racing. This initiative reaffirms America’s ability to lead in the automotive field. We look forward to the development of the car and our first running prototype.”
[h=3]About the DeltaWing IndyCar Prototype[/h]
Initial concept work by Ben Bowlby started with a clean sheet approach and began in January, 2009 at Target Chip Ganassi Racing in Indianapolis. The first prototype car will be powered by a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder turbocharged engine. Final horsepower figures will be based on the car’s performance on the track, but by using state-of-the-art computer modeling, it is anticipated that the engine will need to produce approximately 300 horsepower to attain the performance targets and will run over 4,000 miles before requiring a rebuild, a dramatic 100% improvement over the current engine.
“The DeltaWing Concept is more than just a new and exciting racing car; it is about creating a platform that moves racing into the new era of information entertainment”, said Bowlby, Designer and Chief Technology Officer. “Once we have successfully production engineered and manufactured the first generation of team cars, those cars will form the beginning of a constant evolution formula. Our intention is to publish the entire design detail via the DeltaWing website where access will be available to everyone and so provide a unique participation opportunity and insight into the engineering world of modern racing cars. Just as we hope to see multiple engine suppliers with different configurations and displacements, we also hope to create a framework that will allow us to see a varied and ever changing grid of racing machines in a sustainable, cost controlled and high value manner. We will be unveiling these plans once the prototype is up and running. As we design the DeltaWing prototype, safety, efficiency, value and cost are our main priorities; the goal is that more teams and drivers will have the opportunity to compete in the IZOD IndyCar series. At this point we anticipate a complete car with engine will sell for $600,000.”
[h=3]Key Specifications (estimated)[/h]

• Weight with driver: 1,030 lbs.
• Horsepower: 300 BHP
• Wheel base: 125 inches
• Front track: 24 inches
• Rear track: 70 inches
• Aerodynamic drag: Cd 0.24

[h=3]Key Technical features[/h]

• Engine and transmission are “non-stressed members” of the chassis structural design which allows teams to install a wide variety of lightweight powertrains
• The prototype will feature a 4 cylinder turbo charged engine that will produce approximately 300 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and weigh only 160lbs fully dressed
• Engine capacity, RPM and configuration freedoms are anticipated given only that the rate of fuel delivery to the engine will be controlled by a specially developed fuel flow rate control unit
• Vehicle weight distribution is necessarily more rearward than traditionally seen with 72.5% of the mass on the larger rear tires
• 80% of the aerodynamic downforce acts on the rear of the car
• Inline traction under acceleration through the rear tires is greatly enhanced by rearward weight and aerodynamic distributions
• Unique amongst today’s racing cars 60% of braking force is generated behind the center of gravity giving a dynamically stable response
• Locking propensity of the inside front wheel on corner entry is greatly reduced
• Transmission features 6 speed oval and 5 speed plus reverse road track configurations with sequential paddle shift actuation
• Differential features full torque vectoring active technology with driver control of gain for balance adjustment. “Active stagger” removes the expensive necessity for staggered rear tire diameters for ovals
• Advanced computer modeling of structures, impact energy management, aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics and tires has been used to develop the virtual DeltaWing car
• The car’s performance has been simulated on each configuration of race track encountered during the IZOD IndyCar Series Championship
• Modern advanced materials and CNC construction techniques applied to achieve gains in light weight structures and occupant safety
• Driver position, restraint layout and energy absorbency facility designed with the latest data on survival criteria

Visit www.deltawingracing.com for additional information and to follow progress on the design and development of the concept

Source | deltawingracing press release​

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Concept test in rRactor?

 

[Xosé Estrada]

Dunno where the concept is test and I don't care as I hate the concept.

Why to copy a 60's prototype plane, put two wheels on it and make it suck around a race track?

 

[Péter Bártfai]

I don't think a car with a narrow front end like this can have good stability and cornering abilities.

 

[Michael Herrmann]

if i read it right it will be a heavy groundeffect car so it might turne still in but it looks ugly as hell and would drive me away from watching Indy 500

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

I am curious how the front tyres will survive an oval race. Or is this the optimal position?

 

[Michael Herrmann]

one should think with the wide rear weels that the front weels tent to just run strait ahead but with enough downforce it can work
advantage compared to a traditonal front setup is the tyers dont produce drag so yes in that way its optimal but till i see it live
on track i dont belife it as in RF they can make it turne regardless how it would act in RL

 

[Mark Birney]

No. Just no. I can't say no enough times to this monstrosity.

 

[Ben Buitendijk]

and people say F1 is ugly.....


:tongue:

 

[Ivan Mills]

Looks like it'll go fast at Bonneville

 

[Daniel Hansson]

I agree with Péter. The optimum way to put the front tyres would be much wider.

Must say they look cool but like a joke. Are they serious?

 

[Vincent Kan]

They are just tring to steal the show from F1. This silly car will never make it on track.
Imagine driving this car and thinking you've made a pass on someone, only to find out the giant butt on the car can't make it though and cause the crash.

 

[Philip Antonia]

Side impact protection to the cockpit doesn't appear to come into the design either!!

 

[Ghoults]

300bhp is just no enough for a top level race car imho. A race car should have more power, especially on the top level. 300bhp is just not enough. Even indy lights have over 400bhp if the wikipedia article is correct.

It's an extremely radical concept but it looks more like a car that is better suited for drag racing than road course racing. I really like that they are blurring the line between open wheel and closed body racing cars with this. I mean, in essence it has the wheels almost covered. Not that I really like how it looks but to be different I'd like it to be exciting as well. With just 300bhp I doubt it.

As far as engineering aspect goes why not put just one tire on the front instead of two? Sure it is possible to still make the suspension so that the tire can be changed.

Anyways, I just noticed the link to the deltawing site, better go see eh

 

[Bjorn de Haas]

if they gonna introduce this in real life i never gonna watch a indy race again.. i hate this car bleghhhh

 

[Andreas Hultgren]

Same here, if they will go with this one then I am no longer a follower of Indy racing. It just looks plain stupid. I really hope they go for the Swift #23 concept. That one breaths Indy but still looks like a new fresh car.

 

[Dave Flower]

When I first looked at this, like many other my initial reaction was, urghhh - uguly and would never work BUT then I watched the SIM footage again and thought a little more and my view sort of changed a bit because
- imagine just how close, close racing could get with these, you may have you nose alongside the cockpit of the car in front but have to wait for space to pull that widddeeee rear end through, immense opportunity for up close intimidation and pressure.
- true the front track appears very narrow, but were talking dead smooth tracks here and if those front wheels are firmly stuck to the road and pointing in the right direction then the rest is gonna follow.
- while were on steering and direction changes, who said all steering has to come fron the wheels? Just look at that enormous Rudder! A Boeing 747 weighs hundreds of times more than one of these cars, and relies on something remarkably similar to that rudder to change direction, we use wings to generate downforce in heaps, can even drive an F1 car upside down, why not use a rudder to help point it where we want it to go?

Is it a boat, is it a plane, is it a car? I don't know but I think a race in SIM with other clean drivers could be quite challenging and a lot of fun - whos with me?

 

[Dave Flower]

I want a go in these - has the mod for rFactor been released ? I think it would be fun.

Imagine close racing and the intimidation and pressuring possibilities when you can stick that nose alongside your opponents (in their face) but can't get that rear end through unless they give up some roadspace?

True there not 'that' pretty, or is that just there very different? I don't think the narrow track would be such a problem, given were talking very, very smooth tracks for these to run on, also if that rear Rudder was made movable then steering/direction change may not be entirely dependant upon just the front wheels.

Either way I would like to have a go in 'game' if possible, whos with me?

 

[Adrian Kinsella]

Car and engine for $600k, put me down for the right hand drive version, Thunderbird 1.