Q: I’m curious what occurred to the ultimate three episodes of the 2025 season of 100 Days To Indy (Season 3). The primary three episodes aired earlier than the five hundred. The ultimate three episodes had been presupposed to run on the finish of the season and canopy the ultimate championship run. Did Palou’s dominance and early clinching trigger FOX to cancel the ultimate three episodes?
Fred (Indiana native now residing is St. Louis)
MARSHALL PRUETT: Thriller solved… the confusion comes from altering the identify of the ultimate three episodes to “Highway to the INDYCAR Championship.” They’ve aired and can be found on FOX Nation.
Q: When ought to we anticipate to see some idea drawings of the brand new chassis? I keep in mind IndyCar having a number of totally different idea designs from producers years in the past, roughly 2010. An entire two years earlier than the DW12 rolled out to the observe. It saved me engaged with the game.
I do know the chassis has been delayed. With the lengthy low season and many of the main foolish season items having fallen already, Penske Leisure ought to no less than give us a glimpse of the longer term. I’m curious if it could look something just like the current Blackbird Mk 66.
Your ideas?
Not that superior supervisor of Scott Dixon, Stefan Johansson
MP: I’m informed it seems like an evolution of the DW12, with F1-style wings, and never a revolutionary design. I’m additionally informed to be looking out for the rendering in 2026.
Q: Any ideas on the Palou and McLaren lawsuit?
It appears that evidently each side have some culpability. Now, I do not know the events personally so I am unable to touch upon the reality. However you guys at RACER have some entry to this story. So what’s the fact because it stands at this time?
Steve
MP: My ideas: It’s unhappy, wasteful and vengeful. I’ve heard the mixed prices with legal professionals and the entire related cash spent on their instances with analysis and professional witnesses and whatnot is north of $20 million, which is rattling near what’s being sought in damages. That’s the wasteful and vengeful half, and silly.
The unhappy half is how this was mishandled from the start by Palou and his former managers. If he’d gone to Zak Brown, stated he’d misplaced the desire to drive for the crew, was principally impressed by the possibility to get to F1, and simply wouldn’t be motivated to step all the way down to Arrow McLaren, which was a big step down on the time, I’ve to consider Zak would have listened.
I’m certain it could have angered him, and I’m certain it could have price Palou just a few million as a buyout, however Zak’s good sufficient to know that one factor you may’t purchase in a contract is the center and can of a driver to present all the pieces to the crew. It’s a crappy situation, however we’ve seen it loads of instances lately in a wide range of sports activities. A participant has misplaced religion within the crew, has a multi-year contract, and needs out. Forcing the motive force – Palou on this case – to honor their contract was going to be unhealthy for each events.
A depressing driver, even a two-time champion like Palou at that stage, wouldn’t ship what the crew wanted to stage up. Once more, Zak’s finished this lengthy sufficient to know {that a} joyful and impressed Palou would rework his IndyCar crew, and a pissed and disinterested Palou would waste the his time and the crew’s time whereas ready to expire his contract. As an alternative, the poking-the-giant-bear strategy was taken and a McLaren crew with inexhaustible monetary sources is alleged to be burning mountains of money to make sure its wrath is felt.
The Ganassi crew has his again, and seems to be fronting the prices to wage the counter combat, however what sort of monetary damage might be visited upon Palou in damages to pay McLaren and to Ganassi for the authorized help? I don’t fake to know the depth of the Palou-Ganassi authorized protection deal, however it’s wild to think about how this might have been resolved way back, in a person-to-person dialogue, and even when it took some time to get to that time, and got here with a stiff price ticket for Palou, as a substitute of this nonsense that’s been going for 2 years.
Looks like the actual winners within the McLaren/Palou lawsuit to this point are the legal professionals. Alastair Staley/Getty Pictures
Q: Stoked to see Mick Schumacher so enthusiastic about this IndyCar opportunity. He would immediately develop into a star if he makes the change. Two issues:
First, I observed a conspicuously giant Honda brand on his helmet (together with different Honda branding components). Is that this a sign that if he had been to change, Honda could be supplying free engines/paying his wage?
Second, why isn’t IndyCar/IMS productions stay streaming or at minimal producing a 30-minute testing recap ? Looks like a simple method to drive engagement within the offseason. Each check ought to have no less than some form of immediate recap to feed the content material machine
Jah within the soiled south
MP: Mick’s a professional. Honda Racing Company US made its prized driver-in-the-loop simulator out there to him and the RLL crew final Friday to be taught the Indy street course, and that’s the sort of gesture which comes with a brand, in variety, on one’s helmet. HRC additionally despatched a movie crew to doc the DIL go to and Mick’s run on Monday, which provides one other layer of funding from the model within the check.
It speaks to the potential seen by Mick’s facet and the crew and producer for 2026. There was intent behind the check, which ought to be apparent by the entire added components and investments by RLL and Honda, and Mick appeared to take pleasure in himself and the automobile. Mick’s mother flew out for the check! Met the crew, noticed the grand RLL store, and so forth. It’s the sort of factor that occurs while you’re 26 and severe about making a significant life change, proper?
If he desires to develop into a full-time IndyCar driver, the door seems to be open at RLL. Now we’ll have to attend and see what Mick decides.
On IMS/IndyCar, they don’t have a limiteless funds. This wasn’t an official collection check day, as in, a check organized by the collection for your entire area. It was a non-public day, organized by RLL, and joined in by another groups, so aside from administering the check, this wasn’t the collection in motion on Monday. However, the collection did ship a shooter to seize some photographs and put collectively a b-roll package deal and posted some social content material. F1 doesn’t ship movie crews to do what you say IndyCar ought to do with 30-minute non-public testing options and stay streaming. IMSA doesn’t do it. NASCAR doesn’t do it.
I want all of them did, however because it isn’t the norm, I can’t take problem right here with IndyCar.
Q: Do GTP and LMP2 groups have spare automobiles as backups like IndyCar and different collection, or do they simply carry a crap ton of spare elements and hope the principle tub survives? I’ve seen the movies of groups thrashing to make repairs to break throughout follow and it hit me that I simply do not know what they do if it is broken past in a single day repairs.
The GTP automobiles are fairly costly to construct so I cannot see groups wanting to construct greater than are wanted.
John Balestrieri, Waukesha, WI
MP: Each crew is totally different, so there’s no single reply. Sure, many have spare automobiles, however not all. For GTP producers and ORECA, maker of the 07 LMP2 chassis, there’s no less than one spare tub and sufficient spares to constructed a brand-new automobile, if no more.
Q: Hundreds of thousands of individuals tuned into to Faculty Gameday this Saturday and noticed the Oregon Duck mascot take a shot on the Indy 500 and the state of Indiana as an entire. Indiana proceeded to thump Oregon 30-20. What wouldn’t it take for Firehawk and The Duck to satisfy within the octagon on the Portland GP subsequent yr?
Max S
MP: This was hilarious. Firehawk is just too pleasant to scare anyone. Murderhawk? It scares everyone. However I simply noticed the man behind the Murderhawk social account is retiring the account, so the duck is protected.
Q: I would wish to know concerning the rumors round Nick Tandy. There may be some followers throughout the BTCC fan base that noticed his drive with the Mini facet of NAPA racing as a entrance for a drive within the full BTCC seat in 2026, given Porsche scaling again (sure, nonetheless in IMSA, however I am guessing Penske will enhance funding for that crew) and that Dan Rowbo is predicted to go away the crew for Jason Plato’s new crew. For me, that is wishful considering and unrealistic, however what are the vibes round that camp?
Whereas we’re on sports activities automobiles racing, do you suppose 2027 will see a return of WEC to the UK? Heard rumors it’s a sure. (Positively after how packed ELMS was in September).
Dan Mayhew, UK
MP: Why would Nick must do a one-off drive as a entrance for what he’s doing subsequent yr? Wouldn’t he simply do the BTCC subsequent yr if that’s what he needed to do? Nick informed me he completely beloved the run within the Mini. I informed him to do extra of these kinds of races – only for enjoyable – and he stated he needed to. He’s one of many best sports activities automobile drivers of the century. If his present employer is bored with his providers, he’ll be snapped up by a rival producer right away. If he desires to downsize his life and take a large pay lower, he’ll go from GTP to BTCC, which I wouldn’t advocate.
I’ll by no means perceive why the WEC doesn’t have a everlasting race within the UK, however because it’s a fleeting or fluctuating factor, I maintain restricted hope that the oversight might be corrected in 2027.
Q: I do not wish to get my tin foil hat on too tight, however the information that Porsche is ending its WEC Hypercar program on the finish of the yr will get a man questioning and hoping that perhaps they could possibly be reallocating sources to develop a 2.4L twin turbo V6.
Add to that the rumors of AO being fascinated with increasing into IndyCar, in addition to their relationship with Porsche, it actually has me doing a little main wishful considering that we could possibly be seeing some dinosaur liveries powered by Porsche in 2028. I am not getting my hopes up as this appears extra a pipe dream as of now, however who is aware of?
Alan Bandi, Sarver, PA
MP: We’ve anticipated considered one of Porsche’s 963 applications to finish and spent the primary months of the yr in concern it could be GTP, however discovered it was strong, which meant Hypercar was the priority.
It’s price noting that AO isn’t fascinated with increasing into IndyCar. Because the crew’s head of PR informed me, its CMO was requested about whether or not the crew had pursuits outdoors of IMSA, and the reply was a basic sure, with a point out of NASCAR and IndyCar, and so forth.
There’s two individuals who dictate AO’s future, and that’s the proprietor/driver/funder PJ Hyett and driver/crew principal Gunnar Jeannette, they usually aren’t seeking to go racing in NASCAR or IndyCar. So, sadly, that pierces just a few holes within the tinfoil hat. Expressing a basic curiosity in enlargement outdoors of IMSA with no plans for enlargement outdoors of IMSA is how I’d course of this one. If that adjustments, it could be superior.
Porsche is downsizing its manufacturing unit racing applications resulting from a shift in EV methods; its EVs haven’t been promoting properly in Europe, after which there’s the larger problem, which is an total decline in world gross sales. Its System E program retains an EV-specific challenge going, however I ponder how lengthy that can proceed, and its marquee GTP effort in IMSA is strong via 2027, I hear, which maintains its manufacturing unit involvement in its greatest gross sales market.
Pulling out of WEC, committing to IMSA, and spending tens of hundreds of thousands to do engines for a second North American racing program could be superb, however it’s not the present plan.
IndyCar is more likely to stay dinosaur-free – until one of many present groups decides to run with it. Any takers? Brandon Badraoui/IMSA
Q: There are nonetheless fairly just a few important selections to be made for the 2026 IndyCar season. Coyne, JHR and RLL are a number of the ones that persons are discussing on social media. However they appear to be ignoring the large obvious choice, and it’s possible you’ll be a distinguished individual having to make that call.
What am I speaking about? My youngsters and spouse ask that query quite a bit. I am speaking about at this time’s grand announcement! The large one so many have been ready for! Rush is happening tour in 2026. So, what do you if their weekend in your space can be an IndyCar race weekend elsewhere. What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO?!?!?
John Balestrieri, Waukesha, WI
MP: IndyCar = Might be round for a very long time.
Rush on tour, albeit minus the GOAT on drums = Is not going to be round for a very long time. Go to the live performance as a result of it won’t occur once more.
Q: I noticed the minor bombshell you dropped within the Mailbag final week about VeeKay going to Juncos. Assuming this leaves Lundqvist and not using a seat for 2026 then? Disgrace, if that’s the case. Are you aware if he has the rest lined up?
John A.
MP: By the point you’re studying this, Rinus is confirmed at JHR. Linus remains to be engaged on alternatives; frolicked with him final week at Petit Le Mans and launched him to a couple IMSA crew homeowners to ensure he explores each paddocks. Noticed him on Monday at Indy as properly and may verify he’s doing his finest to seek out an IndyCar house. With out cash to supply, he’s on the mercy of those that are prepared to pay for him to drive their automobiles, and there aren’t lots of these left.
Q: Intrigued by the Blackbird 66 concept, if solely as a result of some out of the field considering is welcome – if not essentially sensible, as Marshall identified with respect to cornering.
However is it actually essential to go that far to get the specified outcomes? Didn’t CART within the ‘90s have the right formulation: large HP engines in chassis that relied extra reliance on mechanical grip than aero? I’m no engineer, however wouldn’t extra energy and fewer downforce create a racy beast?
Al, Boston
MP: No. the CART automobiles of the Nineteen Nineties had tons of aero and fixed growth and had heaps and plenty of downforce when wanted.
Motion in racing occurs in 4 phases: On the straights, into the corners, within the corners, and exiting the corners. Downforce is fairly essential within the final three phases if you happen to like Indy automobiles to go quick. You’ll be able to return to pre-1968 the place wings weren’t allowed, and there was nice racing, however there wasn’t nice energy. Or pace. The efficiency was balanced in that regard the place no single space jumped far forward of the others.
The Blackbird 66 takes two areas – large energy and a near-total lack of downforce – and goes wild, which is basically enjoyable, however it takes the general efficiency means out of steadiness.
There’s a perception that some refuse to let go of with large energy/small downforce being the magical reply to issues, however I don’t know what query is being requested. As properly, I can’t discover a trendy instance the place enormous energy/minimal downforce been confirmed as the perfect formulation.
If we return many a long time, certain, we are able to discover issues like Can-Am the place 1000hp-plus Porsches and McLarens thrilled the world, they usually had been rockets on the straights and unable to do a lot with all of that pace as soon as corners had been concerned. Additionally, virtually each single factor about these automobiles has modified by a large quantity. Chassis building. Engine sort. Transmissions. Tires. Electronics. Aerodynamics. And so forth.
If followers wish to see explosive energy and acceleration adopted by explosive deceleration and blindingly quick cornering, downforce might be required to tie the entire 4 phases collectively. If that’s not what individuals need, you may throw the steadiness out the window, dial up just a few areas of efficiency, get Indy-style dragsters, and hope the racing is entertaining. It may be. We simply haven’t seen it in the actual world, so it’s all hypothesis till we see a pack of Blackbird 66s in motion.
Q: One of the crucial thrilling open IndyCar seats for me is the fourth Arrow McLaren automobile on the Indy 500, as a result of they often have a giant identify in that automobile. Do you’ve gotten any concepts about who could possibly be in for 2026? Some other potential Indy 500-only entries? The one one-off entries confirmed to this point are Helio Castroneves at Meyer Shank and Jack Harvey for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
Frank Lehmann
MP: I don’t have any affirmation, however I’ve my eye on Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Bryan Herta Autosport has been searching for the fitting match to get again to the five hundred with Honda. On the Chevy facet, the reply is all about PREMA. Different drivers and groups I’ve spoken with within the Chevy household inform me they’re ready to see what occurs with PREMA, and in the event that they fold, getting access to an additional engine for the five hundred turns into extra seemingly. Till that will get answered, I’m informed many of the midfield groups that wish to run one other automobile are in limbo and unable to signal an Indy-only driver.
Is there a papaya-tinted Month of Could in Hunter-Reay’s future? James Black/Penske Leisure
Q: I would not say I am following the Palou/McLaren saga, however I’ll look on the headlines. Being an American, I do not perceive the skin world. Irrespective of the result, can a British courtroom inform a Spanish citizen working in America for an organization, if not registered in some tax shelter island, is headquartered within the U.S.’s most boring state of Delaware, what to do?
Shawn, MD
MP: Palou signed contracts with a UK-based firm. The UK-based firm has taken him to courtroom within the UK to resolve the matter. If the courtroom couldn’t inform him what to do, he wouldn’t be within the UK, on the trial and centrally concerned within the trial, in the event that they couldn’t inform him what to do, proper? The reply is often discovered within the motion.
Q: What can a daily fan do to assist JR Hildebrand’s Blackbird 66 challenge?
Edward
MP: JR’s fairly simple to seek out on most social media shops. I’d attain out and ask.
Q: Thanks on your article in September concerning the standing of the foolish season. Relating to the AJ Foyt crew, you wrote: “The motive force who replaces Malukas and the Penske funds that put him within the automobile might want to make a big contribution to the working prices.”
I do not perceive what which means and hope you may shed some mild on how budgets and sponsorships work. I’ve heard different feedback about drivers who include their very own sponsors. Are drivers answerable for bringing in cash? How can they probably discover the time to do this?
Joe Stern
MP: It means Penske paid for Foyt to run Malukas, and that whoever replaces Malukas might want to pay for the chance to drive the automobile. Some groups have sponsors who pay the $8-12 million annual funds for a automobile to compete in IndyCar and the crew hires an elite driver. Some groups have some sponsorship, however not the complete quantity, and tackle a paying driver to cowl half or regardless of the proportion finally ends up being for the annual funds. And a few groups have drivers who pay one hundred pc of the funds. The Penske-Foyt association was a singular one the place Penske signed Malukas in 2024, wanted to position him with one other crew because it didn’t have a emptiness in its personal crew, and farmed Malukas out to Foyt for the season and paid for them to run him in 2025.
So with Malukas leaving and Penske’s funding leaving, the subsequent driver of that automobile – seemingly Caio Collet – must fill within the large monetary void that’s been left. IndyCar drivers have 17 races per season, which is one out of each three weekends in a calendar yr. These races are often from Friday-Sunday. For many who aren’t well-paid professionals, they’ve an abundance of time.
Have you ever ever actually needed to do one thing and needed to elevate the cash to do it? A visit, a automobile, and so forth.? It’s no totally different right here. Of the 27 full-time drivers from 2025, I rely 17 as being correctly paid by a crew, as in, being 100-percent employed for his or her expertise, which leaves fairly just a few who get up day-after-day trying to find extra money to proceed their careers in 2026 and past.
Q: I’m not totally certain why I used to be fascinated about this, however I used to be randomly fascinated about some spectacular non-winning races that drivers had. The one which got here to my thoughts was Sébastien Bourdais’ drive to ninth place at Barber with the Lotus engine in 2012. Max Verstappen within the rain in Brazil additionally involves thoughts. I would love to listen to some others.
And, a less-positive query. Stirling Moss had 16 F1 wins and no titles. Given the way in which the brand new guidelines packages might shake issues replace, which F1 driver might threat breaking that document? Lando, Oscar each have 9. A type of two will almost certainly win the title. Charles has eight and George has 5. Given their relative ages, I believe all 4 of these guys might win 16+ races.
When you might decide one who would not win a championship, who wouldn’t it be? My guess could be the McLaren drive who does not win this yr. I am unable to think about Ferrari being down perpetually, and rumors of Mercedes having the automobile to beat subsequent yr put George in prime place.
Taco Montgomery
MP: Alex Palou at Milwaukee in August is the newest instance that involves thoughts. Led from pole, dominated all day, and acquired overwhelmed within the closing laps by a charging Christian Rasmussen on new tires as Palou’s surrendered. Occurred to Palou twice final season, truly, together with his dominance of Mid-Ohio turning into a second-place end after falling off the street close to the tip and watching teammate Scott Dixon streak by to assert victory.
Within the pantheon of such IndyCar issues, it won’t get significantly better than Scott Goodyear’s 1992 Indy 500 when the Canadian began 33rd and final and got here inside 0.043s of beating Al Unser Jr. of their well-known photograph end.
CHRIS MEDLAND: Damon Hill in Budapest in 1997 for Arrows. All of it got here collectively for that automobile and tire combo, however then he acquired hit by hydraulic and throttle linkage points and was caught in third gear. Regardless of a heartbreaking lack of victory, he nonetheless got here house second, exhibiting how dominant he’d been in a automobile that was nowhere all season.
I really feel like increasingly more would spring to thoughts the longer I thought of it, however one other that got here to me fairly rapidly was Nico Hulkenberg for Sauber in Korea 2013 – ending fourth and holding off Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg for what felt like an eternity.
From the drivers you simply listed to win sufficient races however not a title, I’d truly say Charles Leclerc. I really feel like McLaren will nonetheless be very aggressive subsequent yr and within the new period (don’t neglect it has the Mercedes energy unit proper now and is thrashing Mercedes with it), however Ferrari is so laborious to see getting it proper for a full season and sealing the deal.
Leclerc is an actual expertise however he additionally hasn’t had a correct crack on the title but and I ponder how he’d deal with that after such an extended wait if it ever got here his means. However I hope the entire above get one and it’s as a result of we’ve got loads of aggressive racing in future!
Hill’s drive to second place within the clunky Arrows on the 1997 Hungarian GP was one for the books. Getty Pictures
Q: In last week’s Mailbag, concerning Colton Herta you stated:
“Then I’d anticipate him to be preventing for the title the next season, earlier than seeking to step as much as F1 in 2028. That will enable Cadillac to seek out its toes, too, and the expertise of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez to actually assist with the crew’s growth earlier than contemplating any adjustments to the line-up.”
Do you actually suppose Colton would do two seasons in F2? I do know each Checo’s and Valtteri’s contracts had been introduced as multi-year, however that would imply one yr with an choice, proper? Until I missed the information that they had been positively two-year contracts.
My feeling has been that Cadillac could have Colton do one yr in F2, then consider each his progress and Checo’s and Valtteri’s, with the intention of placing Colton in F1 in 2027, not 2028. I simply can’t think about Colton doing two years in F2. Why would he? He’ll be taught just about something he wants (tracks, F1-style racing, and so forth.) in a single yr. TWG (clearly former Andretti) has needed Colton in F1 since Michael Andretti first introduced the crew’s intention to affix. If Colton had a greater season in IndyCar and had already gotten sufficient factors for his Tremendous License, they could have even put him within the F1 automobile in ’26 alongside one of many extra skilled drivers. I reckon Valtteri or Checo is out of a seat in ’27 to make means for Colton.
Nikki
CM: I actually do suppose Colton might do two years. That’s not as a result of I believe that’s what Cadillac/TWG desires to do, however extra the truth of the scenario. Two skilled drivers had been picked to assist develop the crew and construct it up, and that work received’t be full in simply 12 months, plus neither could have needed to signal a contract for only one yr to then be instantly changed by Colton – they discuss concerning the challenge and doing the laborious yards now to hopefully reap the rewards in a while.
If (and it’s an if) one of many two race drivers clearly struggles greater than the opposite and Colton has an amazing first yr in F2, then sure there could possibly be a change that rapidly, and it could make sense. However given what we spoke about of Colton studying and re-adapting in a really aggressive collection, it’s a giant ask and a variety of stress to placed on him.
Just by transferring to F2 reveals that Colton and TWG are prepared to do the time required to be as best-prepared as doable, and to that finish I believe they know it would find yourself being two years of growth and prep earlier than it’s best for the crew to interchange considered one of Valtteri or Checo.
For Colton as properly, his finest probability of being successful is that if the crew is performing strongly in F1, and to do this it wants Valtteri and Checo to do properly too, so it’s not a easy equation.
To immediately reply your query of why would he do two years, is for the Tremendous License factors. It’s nonetheless a giant transfer for him and if it takes him a short while to hit the entrance (or his crew struggles in any respect) then the primary yr won’t yield the required Tremendous License factors even when he’s performing properly, and he’d doubtlessly want the second yr to lock these in.
Q: Chris, I observed your remark about Colton Herta having a studying season in F2 after which difficult for the title in 2027. That will be great, however I’m skeptical. Do you agree with the next: F2 drivers are extraordinarily formidable to get to F1. They’ve been in considerably related automobiles and tracks for years. They’re principally fairly gifted however some are fairly wealthy. They’re younger and by and huge very aggressive. That is their make-it-or-break-it probability. Not that Colton is strictly outdated, however it could be like going to a celebration with a reasonably loud younger crowd… one heck of an adjustment. Agree?
Jeff Brown, Bernardsville, NJ
CM: I comply with an extent Jeff, however that’s precisely what Colton would must be competing with anyway – like IndyCar, F1 just isn’t a stroll within the park and also you’ve acquired to carry out each weekend, so being aggressive is usually the requirement for many drivers.
I truly suppose he’s higher ready for F2 although within the sense that IndyCar actually does encourage elbows-out racing, to a larger diploma than the European ladder may. So whilst you’re proper that the stress is excessive and drivers try to show themselves worthy of an F1 probability, I don’t suppose it would shock Colton in any respect.
I’d additionally say that there are some very wealthy drivers however the total normal is extraordinarily excessive, and the associated fee cap in F1 has made pay drivers virtually out of date – you’ve acquired to be immensely gifted, and if you happen to carry severe cash that’s an added bonus. That filters all the way down to F2 as properly, the place merely shopping for your method to the highest doesn’t lower it anymore. Even the richest F2 drivers are prime quality.
There might be a variety of new issues for Herta to adapt to in F2, however intense racing is not considered one of them. Joe Skibinski/Penske Leisure
Q: This query could also be answered by the point you get to it, but when George and Mercedes can’t agree, the place would he seemingly land?
Doug Farrow, Plymouth, MN
CM: I believe you’re proper that the reply will come our means within the coming weeks to make this an out of date one, however there’s solely actually Alpine for George. Crimson Bull I’m certain would present curiosity too, however he’s a Mercedes-managed driver so could be positioned someplace the place it nonetheless had full management of his future if there had ever been a necessity to do this. However he’s not going to be available on the market.
Q: I watched the RACER Debrief with David Malsher-Lopez, Laurence Foster and JR Hildebrand. Very fascinating. Three or 4 instances throughout the dialogue JR talked about potential insurance coverage points. Are you able to present some coloration on what he may need been referring to? Are there polices in place that put restrictions on what varied collection are allowed to do?
Don Weidig
JR HILDEBRAND: Within the context of the Debrief dialog, discuss of “insurance coverage” with respect to hurry limitations is a proxy for “safety-related” pace limitations. We hear these phrases used considerably interchangeably throughout the trade – I used “insurance coverage” extra gratuitously within the podcast to simplify some responses in my very own thoughts however can respect that some context may assist!
Tracks and sanctioning our bodies collectively should be capable to carry threat insurance coverage for attending followers and drivers/crews, with the sanctioning physique being dominantly answerable for any points that would come up from an incident on observe (and subsequently the insurance policies related to that). These insurance policies are primarily based on the assessed threat of the speeds and competitors model of a given collection at a given observe. In easy phrases, how unhealthy might a crash be for driver(s), crew(s), and/or followers, and the way seemingly is that to occur? Once we speak about this as a constraint for what the on-track product is, that’s all the way down to the concept that, at some extent, both within the context of a single automobile on observe or a number of automobiles on observe, a sure stage of potential threat with respect to the result of a crash cannot solely be considered as “over the restrict” strictly on the grounds of pure security within the eyes of a sanctioning physique (with enter from drivers and groups) however may make these insurance coverage insurance policies dramatically dearer and/or unobtainable.
Within the context of a single automobile on observe, a good portion of the true security threat is peak crash vitality in a nook, which is a operate of cornering pace and the final dynamics of the automobile and observe in that situation. The quicker it goes via a nook, the larger the influence vitality in that nook, all else being equal. This situation is dominantly what we had been speaking about on the podcast. Take an IndyCar at IMS as an excessive however easy instance; the present automobile could possibly be at track-record pace very quickly by simply including energy, however will accomplish it by going quicker about equally all over the place. This consists of a rise in cornering pace (and momentum), which ends up in a rise in potential crash vitality.
I don’t understand how near the “restrict” an IndyCar is at IMS in qualifying with respect to what IndyCar considers a tolerable influence dynamic, however at 230+ even a small distinction in pace hitting a wall is non-trivial when contemplating the way it impacts influence vitality; the quicker you go the extra every mile-per-hour enhance the vitality. So there’s essentially a *actual* security restrict there someplace, and in addition a projected one within the eyes of those that are answerable for coping with and/or underwriting the results.
Our dialog centered round how totally different automobile formulation (for instance, one which depends much less on cornering pace within the first place) may provide new methods of these safety-related constraints.
Q: Will we see Katherine Legge or one other feminine driver within the NASCAR Cup Sequence in 2026?
Chris Fiegler, Latham, NY
KELLY CRANDALL: Katherine Legge has expressed her want to do as a lot as she will in NASCAR, and I’d anticipate that to proceed in 2026. Nonetheless, it at all times comes all the way down to funding, and she or he’s been placing collectively some nice applications to get on observe as a lot as she will proper now. Legge is authorised to run on all racetracks within the Craftsman Truck Sequence and the Xfinity Sequence, and she will run on all the pieces besides superspeedways within the Cup Sequence. So, I think about that it’s going to come all the way down to funding and the place she prefers to run and what races are open with the groups she works with going ahead.
As for one more feminine driver within the Cup Sequence subsequent yr, I don’t see it occurring. Who’s on the market and prepared for that step? Nobody involves thoughts.
Legge’s not waving goodbye to NASCAR if she has any say in it. Sean Gardner/Getty Pictures
Q: Why does NASCAR enable “ringers” within the playoffs? Las Vegas was not the primary exhibiting of Almirola however the first on this format so one should assume that it’s gamesmanship by Gibbs and Toyota. One may need hoped Gibbs was above this form of factor, however maybe not.
NASCAR ought to rule in opposition to this or maybe compel him to race at Talladega as properly so we are able to see how gamesmanship performs on the market.
CH
KC: I don’t consider it was gamesmanship by Joe Gibbs Racing in placing Almirola in these races particularly. It comes down to a couple components: what races the sponsors need, the place Almirola can run, and the place different drivers can’t run. The latter refers to the truth that NASCAR does have guidelines in place that say Cup Sequence drivers can’t run races which can be within the Xfinity Sequence playoffs. Almirola now not falls into that class. So, any crew, like Gibbs, has to plan its yr for which drivers it is going to be ready to make use of when the postseason begins. Plus, Gibbs is chasing an proprietor’s championship, and Almirola is the skilled driver of their secure who might help them try this right now of the yr.
THE FINAL WORD
From Robin Miller’s Mailbag, October 16, 2013
Q: The primary race I ever noticed was the 1982 Indianapolis 500. To this point, I nonetheless consider that’s the best 500 that is been run within the final 35 years. I used to be 13 then and what saved me coming again had been the automobiles. The innovation and new types yearly had been thrilling. I do know you’ve gotten indicated that you just consider that the DW12 has produced essentially the most thrilling racing within the final 40-plus years however we’ve got to have a look at the historical past of the game. The legends turned legends due to their skill to grasp automobiles on the sting of expertise.
I’d advocate going again and a few of Paul Web page’s intros to the five hundred; his phrases had been one hundred pc right. Now, the place is the innovation? The place is the expertise?
I additionally get that it is about cash however I’ll recommend that good racing alone is not going to carry again the followers. Sure, we’d like stars and new legends however I’ll recommend that the automobiles and the expertise will create the celebs. Give it some thought: there have been extra followers within the ’80s and ’90s when only a few races had been up for rivalry on the finish. Now most are and we’re within the doldrums.
If the game will get re-elevated to its elite standing, the cash will come. Take a look at Larry Ellison and the freakish quantity he spent on the America’s Cup. The cash will come as soon as the followers come again and to this point I see nothing totally different that we’re doing at this time than IndyCar was doing 5 to 10 years in the past.
I believe IndyCar is making an attempt to control price an excessive amount of. With out rehashing the apparent causes that I discussed above, why does not IndyCar merely put out primary formulation guidelines and let the homeowners purchase or construct the perfect automobile they’ll? The formulation labored earlier than and it could possibly work once more. I believe it is IndyCar’s solely hope.
Michael, Atlanta, GA
ROBIN MILLER: It is true that many people need extra highly effective automobiles that look totally different and push expertise. However are there sufficient of these individuals on the market to actually make a distinction in attendance or TV scores? And I believe IndyCar wants some assurance from Ford or Dodge or Audi that they wish to come play with a clear sheet of paper. Till then, why mess with the one factor you have acquired proper now ” good competitors? Possibly simply open up the principles for the Indy 500 however, once more, will that get you groups from sports activities automobiles, NASCAR or F1?
