IndyCar sets new track limit rule at COTA
Ahead of this weekend’s IndyCar Classic, the series’ first race at Circuit of The Americas, series officials have decided to allow drivers to use the run-off area exiting Turn 19 in order to reduce track limits controversies.
The wide expanse of run-off at Turn 19 allows drivers to carry more speed exiting the turn, and reduce lateral friction on the right-front tire by attacking it at a shallower angle.
The latter issue could become crucial given the length of the track – COTA is the second longest track in IndyCar – and the predicted rate at which the softer alternate compound Firestones will go off.
In terms of speed, going through this runoff area is reckoned by teams and drivers to improve lap times by 0.2-0.3sec, although it also adds the peril of the tires picking up dirt before braking for Turn 20.
Max Papis, who along with fellow ex-IndyCar race winner Arie Luyendyk advises series race director Kyle Novak in Race Control, explained to Motorsport.com that “the intent of IndyCar has been to not have to enforce track limits when it’s not needed.
“We have analyzed every corner and what we always look at is, ‘Does it affect competition?’ and ‘Does it affect safety?’ We are not going to do something that will affect safety – there are certain parameters we have to keep in play.
“Because we are not implementing track limits does not mean a driver can push another driver off the track, just because there’s asphalt instead of gravel there; we will monitor it very closely.
“During the test there was not a factor that suggested running beyond the curb would give a clear advantage. So it was decided that if you see someone run behind the curb exiting Turn 19, their lap will still count. We’re all about consistency and predictability and we’ve been putting a lot of thought behind it.
“But that is the only part of the track where you will see people deliberately running beyond the curb. Like I said, the asphalt beyond the curb is not supposed to be used for improving speed, it’s for improving safety.
“So compared to F1, at the hairpin [Turn 11] we’ve added two bumps, because what we saw in testing was that you could miss the hairpin, run wide, and still have no speed penalty. So we put two bumps there so that if you are missing the corner for whatever reason, you will not gain any advantage.”
Previous article
COTA IndyCar: Power leads Rosenqvist in second practice
Next article
Power, Rosenqvist: Tire degradation will boost racing at COTA
The winners and losers in IndyCar 2021 – Mid-season review
At the halfway point in the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series season, we've had seven winners in eight races, spread between five teams – none of them Team Penske. In this unusual season, even by IndyCar standards, who’s excelling and who’s dragging their heels? David Malsher-Lopez reports.
The joy that exposes F1’s key weakness
Long-awaited wins for ex-Formula 1 drivers Marcus Ericsson and Kevin Magnussen in IndyCar and IMSA last weekend gave F1 a reminder of what it is missing. But with the new rules aimed at levelling the playing field, there’s renewed optimism that more drivers can have a rewarding result when their day of days comes
Castroneves: How I kept it under control to make Indy 500 history
Helio Castroneves’ overwhelming vivaciousness outside the cockpit belies a hardcore racer who knows how to plot his moves – and then recall it all for us. A day after his fourth Indy 500 win, Helio explained his tactics to David Malsher-Lopez.
How 'chess master' Castroneves cemented his Indy legend status
Helio Castroneves joined AJ Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears with the most Indianapolis 500 wins after sweeping around the outside of Alex Palou on the penultimate lap in a thrilling climax. In one race, he validated Michael Shank's and Jim Meyer's faith in him, and Helio himself discovered there's life after Penske after all.
Indy 500 preview: Will experience or youth be victorious?
A quarter of the drivers racing in the 105th edition of the Indianapolis 500 are former winners - but are they the favourites? The veteran drivers largely impressed in qualifying - but there's also a plethora of young guns looking to secure victory at IndyCar's flagship race...
What will it take to get American drivers in Formula 1?
The FIA says it wants American drivers in Formula 1, but would it take an IndyCar driver to transfer or does an American need to join the European junior ladder system to get there? By David Malsher-Lopez.
Why IndyCar is satisfying Grosjean’s appetite for his second life
After spending the majority of his 179-race Formula 1 career in middling to tail-end machinery, Romain Grosjean finds himself once again with an underdog team in IndyCar. While not without its challenges, he's relishing the more level playing field that means his Dale Coyne Racing crew can expect to claim a few scalps...
Why IndyCar's new aero parts should improve racing at Indy
Tino Belli, IndyCar’s director of aerodynamic development, believes the changes to the underside of the cars will allow them to run closer at Indy and make passes. The moment of truth comes on its biggest stage, writes David Malsher-Lopez.
