Dramatic 2018 IndyCar Revealed

[samcar304]

First glimpse of the high downforce kit

Looks stunning!

 

[paracletus]

An improvement on the current cars. Aesthetics always did have a hard time crossing the atlantic though.

 

[samcar304]

An improvement on the current cars. Aesthetics always did have a hard time crossing the atlantic though.

Us europeans have not always been good at it either...

 

[Akra]

An improvement on the current cars. Aesthetics always did have a hard time crossing the atlantic though.

IndyCar (and CART) has produced some of the best looking cars in history.

 

[Rob]

As promised, here is the new 2018 IndyCar Road Course Car:

"You slide around a little bit and it was cool. It made it fun to drive," the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner said after he and Oriol Servia ran over 200 laps around the 13-turn, 2.2-mile road course in the first test of the 2018 road racing bodywork for IndyCar.

"You can throw it in the corner and get on the gas hard and I like it because you can drive the &%$# out of it and I had a good time."

Montoya, testing for Chevrolet with Team Penske, also said he and Servia, running in a Honda prepared by Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, were able to run a little closer in a 20-lap segment.

"You're always going to have understeer following somebody close into the corner; that's just inherent in motorsports, but it was easier today because the rear end wasn't as nervous. The braking zone is a little longer now and we're going quicker down the straightaway so it's all good.

"I think we're going in the right direction."

 

[Nick Hill]

I'm stoked for the 2018 cars, but why the hell wouldn't IndyCar jam the summer break gap in the F1 schedule with their own races?

I understand the logistics of scheduling races is a non trivial task (especially for IndyCar, who run a lot of street races and, at a lot/most of the oval facilities they are frankly well down the pecking order), but hopefully IndyCar is at least looking at the F1 calendar when putting their own schedule together.

 

[samcar304]

I'm stoked for the 2018 cars, but why the hell wouldn't IndyCar jam the summer break gap in the F1 schedule with their own races?

I understand the logistics of scheduling races is a non trivial task (especially for IndyCar, who run a lot of street races and, at a lot/most of the oval facilities they are frankly well down the pecking order), but hopefully IndyCar is at least looking at the F1 calendar when putting their own schedule together.

i agree, Missed a golden opportunity to entice fans who might have had a taste this year after Alonso's little excursion to actually watch a race without him in it.

 

[Rob]

i agree, Missed a golden opportunity to entice fans who might have had a taste this year after Alonso's little excursion to actually watch a race without him in it.

Of the three weekends that F1 is "on vacation" IndyCar runs one (next weekend) at Pocono. While I have never bought into the argument that rich boys need a month off in summer to "recharge their expensive batteries" it seems to be ingrained in F1's psyche. During Hungary, IndyCar was running Mid-Ohio, then a week off, then at Pocono, then another week off, then back to racing the same weekend, as F1 gets the rich boys back to work. While I understand the need to have one weekend off, I suppose IndyCar could have run two on the weekend, however, Mid-Ohio and Pocono rank in the top five on the calendar, at least to many Americans. Sadly, the F1 world still largely tunes out with ovals, but true IndyCar fans never will.

In addition, nobody could foresee the Alonso event. And heretofore, F1 fans were largely indifferent to IndyCar races, so IndyCar rightly did not factor them in or gravitate towards a marketing strategy based off of them. IndyCar's bread and butter base is here in the United States, and always will be...just like F1 and Europe. But I bet they will consider it in the future. The mere fact that you ask the question is very encouraging. It shows that what Alonso did was far far more monumental than most people realize right now. And at some point in the future, F1 may be looking at IndyCar before making race date decisions. So...bring on that halo!

 

[Akra]

Of the three weekends that F1 is "on vacation" IndyCar runs one (next weekend) at Pocono. While I have never bought into the argument that rich boys need a month off in summer to "recharge their expensive batteries" it seems to be ingrained in F1's psyche. During Hungary, IndyCar was running Mid-Ohio, then a week off, then at Pocono, then another week off, then back to racing the same weekend, as F1 gets the rich boys back to work. While I understand the need to have one weekend off, I suppose IndyCar could have run two on the weekend, however, Mid-Ohio and Pocono rank in the top five on the calendar, at least to many Americans. Sadly, the F1 world still largely tunes out with ovals, but true IndyCar fans never will.

Mechanics are hardly rich boys. The break has nothing to do with the drivers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/37403039

 

[samcar304]

Of the three weekends that F1 is "on vacation" IndyCar runs one (next weekend) at Pocono. While I have never bought into the argument that rich boys need a month off in summer to "recharge their expensive batteries" it seems to be ingrained in F1's psyche. During Hungary, IndyCar was running Mid-Ohio, then a week off, then at Pocono, then another week off, then back to racing the same weekend, as F1 gets the rich boys back to work. While I understand the need to have one weekend off, I suppose IndyCar could have run two on the weekend, however, Mid-Ohio and Pocono rank in the top five on the calendar, at least to many Americans. Sadly, the F1 world still largely tunes out with ovals, but true IndyCar fans never will.

In addition, nobody could foresee the Alonso event. And heretofore, F1 fans were largely indifferent to IndyCar races, so IndyCar rightly did not factor them in or gravitate towards a marketing strategy based off of them. IndyCar's bread and butter base is here in the United States, and always will be...just like F1 and Europe. But I bet they will consider it in the future. The mere fact that you ask the question is very encouraging. It shows that what Alonso did was far far more monumental than most people realize right now. And at some point in the future, F1 may be looking at IndyCar before making race date decisions. So...bring on that halo!

Yeah the schedule was finalised before Alonso made the trip. But I was probably speaking more hypothetically. And to be honest i have no idea why i think its a "golden opportunity" 80% of the fans that came to watch made the Indycar chats a living hell... Glad most are gone and that people who actually care good competitive racing stayed or at least kept an eye open for Indycar.

 

[Rob]

80% of the fans that came to watch made the Indycar chats a living hell...

They will learn. The great irony is...when you are discovering something new (like ovals) for the first time, in depth, it's an exciting time, because you are learning. The learning never stops, of course, but it's not quite as exciting as when it's all new. And F1 fans are pretty dang smart when they drop their bias.

 

[Rob]

Mechanics are hardly rich boys. The break has nothing to do with the drivers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/37403039

I know. It's sheer hell living as a mechanic. You have to deal with a salary that ranges from £30,000 to £80,000 (or £55,000 on average), and that's virtually poverty scale. Especially when you consider that the *average salary* in the U.K. is a massive £27,600, which is the gold standard for the rest of the world.

Added to the misery of being in F1 are the gold plated expense accounts, jet transportation, fame, sex, paid travel, T.V. exposure, and exotic locations. How on earth is any human to exist in such miserable conditions? Ask anyone...the last thing they'd want is to be an F1 mechanic, especially if you are a race fan. I'd much rather be a valet or a even a doctor fer God's sake.

This mandatory time off is especially hard on the single guys too. I know most mechanics are female or married, but still. It's just cruel to make a single young man work in August.

 

[Akra]

I know. It's sheer hell living as a mechanic. You have to deal with a salary that ranges from £30,000 to £80,000 (or £55,000 on average), and that's virtually poverty scale. Especially when you consider that the *average salary* in the U.K. is a massive £27,600, which is the gold standard for the rest of the world.

Average of £55k when you're working double shifts takes you to the hourly wage of someone on the average salary, just FYI. If we're going to start comparing to the rest of the world, then I guess you'll bring up the increased living expenses of living in that area of England. Otherwise I hope you feel guilty as you'll be earning more than a third world child who has to walk 10,000 miles a day just to see a photo of some clean water.

Added to the misery of being in F1 are the gold plated expense accounts, jet transportation, fame, sex, paid travel, T.V. exposure, and exotic locations. How on earth is any human to exist in such miserable conditions? Ask anyone...the last thing they'd want is to be an F1 mechanic, especially if you are a race fan. I'd much rather be a valet or a even a doctor fer God's sake.

Yeah man, that cattle class flying and staying in the cheap hotels. Man, what luxury. They've got so much room on that plane they might not need to chop of their legs to get in! And yeah all those destinations! I mean the mechanics actually say in that article they don't get to see anything, but man they are spoilt! They get to go places! (Pssst: Have a read of it!)

How DARE F1 look after it's own staff by having HOLIDAYS. What kind of insane world is this where we actually care about the health and well being of the workers? They should be working ALL year, and put on races just for us fans and they should be THANKFUL they have to do it too. Bloody rich boys earning money because they worked hard in school. And they expect holidays too? I have more races than ever and want more damn it!

Sorry, must dash. I've got a protest to go to. Someone asked for some medical leave on top of a holiday. I'll be damned if that's happening on my watch!

It's absolutely stunning how spoilt people are. Actually complaining that people get a holiday. Jesus.

 

[Ken Hunter]

Simple and beautiful, without DRS, Halo, KERS, ultra sophisticated engines and other bullshit, learn F1 ...

Have to agree with Miguel. Simplicity is in most cases far better than complex designs and futuristic electronic crap. A great step forward!!

 

[redt]

Indy's been on the up for a while now, and this looks like it's gonna make next year more interesting. They nailed the idea spot on (unlike anything F1 in recent memory)