Welcome to the racer’s mail bag. Any questions from the racer writer are: mailbag@racer.com. We love hearing your comments and opinions, but letters containing questions are likely to be published. Any questions received every Monday after 3pm will be saved the following week.
Q: Did you really decide that it’s time for Power to make changes from a really successful team?
Mike Tarico, Charlotte, North Carolina
Marshall Pruett: Many high-value free agents did and asked him exactly what he wanted. In this case it was a longer runway with Team Penske, and he held the question tightly and refused the fewer offers. Yes, he declined the offer. Because what was offered didn’t match what he wanted.
That’s a classic trick, right? If someone doesn’t want to do something for you, provide them with something they don’t want…and they tend to leave.
Power had something better in working with Andretti. As racer David Marcia Lopez wrotedid not waste his time with what Pensuke wanted to formally present to him in a contract signing.
It was important to feel like I wanted it, and this became a marriage that carried out that course. At least from the Pensk side. Power was very interested in keeping it together and trying and maintaining the relationship, but the people who took charge of the team before and after the May shooting were cold for this concept. It’s their loss, but life moves.
Q: Here I’m sitting at my work desk and Willie P’s announcement just fell. As much as I’m trying to be okay with this, I have to admit, I’m not.
I know it’s late in his career, but I still hate seeing it really could be near the end. The part that doesn’t make sense to me is where Will is Pensuke’s latest champion and he can still win. So, what am I missing? In my opinion, keeping him is easy. What is happening behind closed doors with these decisions that ordinary people like me can’t see? In my opinion, I think you’d want to keep your champion, but clearly it doesn’t seem to correlate how I’m thinking or how the business works.
Mike, Rollins, Wyoming
MP: I recall decades of reference to Roger Pensuke’s employees to “human capital.” When seen in one way, for those who make up Team Pensuke, in this case, those who make up innate value, such as assets, it is a warm expression of value.
And there is a cold interpretation of people in flesh and bones as human capital like value-based products to maintain, trade or release based on their ability to generate profits or other forms of value.
Clearly, Team Pensuke has come to the conclusion that as an asset, the value of his power has declined and that he is no longer worth maintaining his portfolio. Your question is the same as what I raised here last month or two months, but the same thing.
If Power was a trading card sent to PSA for grading, I don’t think he would get a 10, but I’m hoping for at least an 8. The difference here is that Pensuke’s power grading is 4, meaningless.
Before the season began, when I interviewed former team president Tim Sindrick about extending his Power contract, he said something about winning the Indy 500 as a situation that guaranteed continuity. It blew my mind. It also provided deep insight into the state of things – the power needs to draw miracles to stay – said the climate has become quite frozen. And we have an icy preseason take on this issue, despite it making no sense.
In 2025, the year Team Pensuke was wrong than right in decisions at IndyCar, it concluded the season with all the biggest blunders by underestimating its power and dumping it.
I think many of us are used to decisions from Team Pensuke being sharp and driven by plain and common sense that we all can see. It’s when we can’t find logic that question ourselves – we have to be something that lacks something – but the handling of the end-of-life stages of Power reminds us that, like its recent season, this monolith is more than it can go in a strange direction.
The main point, however, is that this is not a mistake from their perspective. This is what they wanted. That includes ownership of the decision. So, if it works, I have the latest in a long line of strong evidence that I am a fool. And if that wasn’t the case, it would be sad because the struggling team Pensuke doesn’t help the series in the way that comes to mind.
I want to see Titans in each sport beat each other on the way to calm the championship down. Team Pensuke last season only helped Parow and Ganasi escape the title before they reached the midpoint of the season, which wasn’t good for the show.
Nevertheless. Marca should be faster and win the race. I don’t know what happened to McLaughlin last season, but based on past performances, he should be able to return to form. There’s no way New Garden will continue with three terrible seasons, so I’m sure he’ll become a stronger competitor in the championship. But…it’s all based on Team Pensuke, who I knew until 2024.
I don’t know what Team Pensuke we saw in 2025. With all the changes that have been going on within the team since May, it is difficult to predict what will emerge in 2026. Was 2025 an extraordinary? Apart from Palou’s ability to go through four titles in a row, future themes cannot be considered more appealing.
Will the actual team come back out of the shadows in 2026? Joe Skibinski/IMS
Q: “The more you can remove inertia, the more you can protect the attention of younger fans who need to be constantly drawn to something new.” This is a quote from Stefano Domenicali in a recent New York Times article. If that’s the mindset of the CEO of Motorsport, an internationally juggernaut and increasingly juggernaut in the US, then you’d think that more lively outfits like IndyCar are making similar observations. Bueller?
Tom Hinshaw, Santa Barbara, California
MP: New people like new things. Elderly people like old things. Wild ones!
Q: As a new transplant to the Seattle area, this year we had an incredible time participating in Indy Car Races in Portland. However, given the small (but passionate!) crowds and past Prime facilities, I was not surprised to see both IndyCar and NASCAR passing through Portland in 2026.
Apart from a heavy investment in PIR, I would like the northwest circuit to be realized as a viable alternative. They have a sophisticated website with Zak Brown and Don Cusick approvals, but the local news here sounds like they’re still underfunded.
Have you heard anything through Grapevine about how solid their plans are?
Blood
MP: I met one of the Northwest Track leaders at a major event last year, but it wasn’t an IndyCar race. Check in to see if anything worthy of attention appears. As a crew member, I was able to race several times on the Kent Road course when I hosted the SCCA Pro Racing events (such as the Formula Atlantic). Amazing condition, and I want to see IndyCar, IMSA and more.
Q: I grew up rooting for Rick Mears and enjoyed seeing him as a steady and wise man at Team Pensuke on the truck, even after retiring from driving. “It’s a huge shame that the role of a driver of honor is no longer a team trend.
Lifelong Former Team Pensuke fan, when and where can I order my new No. 26 DJ Willy P-shirt and hat?
George, Colorado Springs, co
MP: I’m not a huge Aaron Rodgers fan, but I loved his reaction as the new quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers after beating his former team, the New York Jets, last weekend, who lost faith in his abilities. From ESPN:
“Perhaps there were people in the organization who didn’t think they could play anymore.” Rodgers, 41, said after the game. “So it was good to remind those people that I still can.”
My first thought after hearing Rogers’ take was that of DJ Willie P.
“I was happy to defeat everyone related to the Jets.” He added.
Power is stepping into the winning car last season, so there is no guarantee, but if that 26 Honda is capable, he can actually beat those who have lost faith.
Q: The IndyCar season was a success. TV ratings are good, the future is bright, and Fox has skin in the game. When will the 2026 race schedule be announced? All other major race series provided theirs.
Mike Hickman, Beach Grove, Indiana
MP: It’s an obvious statement, but if it’s close, it’ll be here. If it’s just going to all the same place then there’s no delay so that’s another thing. Arlington’s announcement. The move to Toronto was announced to Markham. It must be a new other that requires important planning and finalization that maintains the schedule.
I had two people in Padoc who told me they had heard that Mexico was on life support. Is that so? How about doing something in Washington, DC? Is this the concept of Fox Sports? The UFC event on the White House South Lawn has been confirmed to have no specific dates in June 2026. If that happens, it’s not the first time Major race series compete on the streets of the Capitol.
Of course, I want to schedule it as soon as possible, but I’m not too worried about the arrival date and focused on what’s great. And if it’s something that brings extra time, it could be delayed each year.
Q: So, with power heading towards Andretti, herta going to F1/F2 and Marcus will most likely be penske, so what is your prediction for the rest of the field? Will Lundqvist get a drive?
Dino, New Hanover, PA
MP: Linus is on the short list of Coyne and Juncos Hollinger. He is the best free agent on the market and by free agent, I mean a driver who has not yet committed to a team like Marca despite no public confirmation.
We’re just a week away from the finale, and although Prema hasn’t spoken, I’ve heard there are some outreach from team members looking for work on other teams. If the ship was sinking quickly, we were hoping to hear a massive call to find a new home.
Q: What was the worst race series ever? For me, it was the old NASCAR Sportsman division that ran at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway in the early to mid-1990s.
It is a bunch of weekend short truck drivers with old Winston Cup (at the time) equipment, known for its bad shipwrecks and fatal crashes.
Kurt Perberg
MP: I can’t believe the series I followed were always garbage. But certainly times. The first year of the Indy Racing League was painful to watch, but there was also thrill. But my go-to was the formative year of the Daytona prototype formula at Grand Am. The most gli-human car imaginable was as slow as hell, and no one came to see it. However, the lowback formula also allowed a large number of teams to step into the series – Mike Shank is one of them, moving on to the bigger ones.
Yikes. Chris McGrath/Getty Images
Q: Given that the driver has adjustable brake bias, front and rear suspension, has P2P and can use hybrid energy, is there any reason why he can’t adjust the angle of the front and rear wings from the cockpit?
fill
MP: I think it means IndyCar. If so, the answer is simple. Because the series chooses not to allow that. I wish there was a deeper answer, but for the same reason as there is no through-through bodywork or engine that runs on vodka. Both of these are possible, but not because no one in the series decided they had to happen.
Q: There’s no season like Dennis Hauger did, and there’s no way forward. So, are there any news, rumors, or ridiculous scenarios?
John B, Waukesha, Wisconsin
MP: Just what I wrote Last Stupid Season Update.
Q: My comments come as an IndyCar first fan. It’s my favorite motorsport. I also like Formula 1.
One of my biggest motorsport memories was walking around the Kurtpaddock and seeing fans and drivers leaning around the TV watching Fan 1 qualifying session. Everyone was celebrating when Jaques Villeneuve put his car on the pole.
As a Colton Herta fan, I don’t just want him to see him in Formula 1, but if he needs to go back to Formula 2. I want Americans to take root in F1. I want an American who we watch and knows will take root in F1. I want a Colton Helta for F1. If he went to F2 in 2026, he will be F1 the following year.
As an American Formula One fan, I have been waiting for this moment. Colton! Do it for me.
Mark, Buffalo, no
MP: As a half-full type of self-approved glass, I have a hard time finding something positive. I may be in the minority here, but I have no enthusiasm for this move.
Colton leaves IndyCar in a down year when he was demoted to P2 by his teammates for the first time since he arrived on the Harding/Andretti team. He was Andretti’s best driver last year, but Kirkwood was the only winner of the team in 2025, finishing fourth in Colton’s seventh place.
Based strictly on the outcome, if TWG Motorsports wants to send the best Americans to F1, Kirkwood is packing his belongings and preparing to move to Europe.
I don’t know if Herta lost his motivation in IndyCar’s seventh full season, but if that’s the case, it’s not unique or guaranteed criticism. Most athletes hit that wall at some point and then hit multiple walls for people with very long careers. So, if the heavily locked up Hertha in 2024, which came in second in 2025, was slightly ineffective in 2025, then the race scenery changes in F2 and F1 test drives could be cured.
A wonderful man. A wonderful family. Like you, I hope all good things will happen for him in the next few years. But for now, I can’t shake up Springboard, which is a relatively quiet year with IndyCar. I hope at the end of 2024 he was the hottest driver in the series (not named Paloo).
The finger-crossed move brings the scary fast Hertha return, where the Formula 1 team had tripped themselves up to provide a development contract when they tested McLaren a few years ago.
We all would be delighted if this grand plan would bring that version of Hertha back into the world.
Q: For Roger Pensuke, who decided that Power would quit and move on to another team, it was terrible… Did he overplay his hand by hiring a big-name agent at the beginning of the season?
Brian, Ohio
MP: Prove that everyone sees things in their own unique way.
Q: What exactly is Pensuke thinking? It was definitely a strange year for Pensk, and much of its oddity came from within the lesser team rules. I like Lil Dave, but maybe he needs another year at Voith to really move the needle. He was really beginning to impress towards the end of the season. It’s good to watch another season to back it up and maybe get the podium and victory.
I also know that last year I made a comment about Kaifin Simpson. I give credit where the credit comes, he was impressive everywhere, but until the 17th of the ranking at the end of season 21 (last year), I am not impressed yet.
It’s not Stephen Johansson
MP: So, what if I asked you to give him another year?
Joke aside, I hear you, but I also see him, fourth in the Oval (Nashville), a third in Toronto and fifth in Detroit. And he didn’t just move the car away from the wall. He was fast and clever.
So, to your bigger point, yes, the P17 is not surprising. But I don’t think I feel too bad about Simpson’s one year output, seeing him just 11 points behind Santino Ferucci in the entry for Voyt Pensuke and 15 points behind Alexander Rossi.
His third year at IndyCar will answer the bigger question of what future he will have. When his teammates came in first and third in the championship and sixth and eighth in Meyer Shank Place, there’s a reason to be overwhelmed by 17 people.th A car that can be placed within the top 10. That’s a pretty big year goal. It will fall in the top 10 in 2026.
It’s not easy, but the excuse for youth and inexperience is much more difficult to make in the third year of a driver, whilst piloting the car for a team that has won five of the past six championships. In 2025, we learned that Kaifin had a real talent and was expressed sporadically. That’s what most IndyCar drivers say.
Of the 17 chances, the majority are closer to attacking Bullseye two or three or perhaps four times. That’s about that. That’s what Simpson did. If that changes from 6 to 8 next year, he will be one of the elites and enter the top ten years. If that doesn’t happen, you’ll see that he’s destined to a midpack career.
Look at this space. Travis Hinkle/IMS
Q: By the time this reaches you, all the news about Colton Hertha may finally come out of your bag. But my question is, isn’t it just to make him the Cadillac Reserve Driver next year and give him the four FP1s he needs to create a super license? Another racing journalist says this is possible. This makes much more sense than sending him to F2. There he rarely wins while dealing with cars, tires and trucks he doesn’t know.
I can’t stand how much noise there is from the F1-dominant toad that uses it as evidence that IndyCar is actually low. Assuming Checo and Valtteri are taking part in a multi-year deal, this raises the question of what will happen to Colton in 2027, even if he goes to F2 and wins.
When it comes to purchasing Fox Sports, I’m excited by the many possibilities and think that NASCAR crossovers are extremely valuable to get more exposure. What I really want to see is that they abandon the NFL fears and expand their schedule into the fall. Are you wrong thinking you have the opportunity to schedule a race directly here? rear Does NFL games on Fox use that lead-in?
Adam, Simi Valley, California
MP: For each racer Chris Medland, Hertha needs six points, not four. If you’re trying to prepare someone to race in a new series, I can’t find the wisdom of letting them skip the race in favor of them driving the car sporadically several times in a single practice session. I hate the appearance of the nine IndyCar race winners who need to race in F2, so while keeping the Herta in competition, I’ll check out many boxes by learning some tracks for the first time and adjusting to the European motor racing methods. His experience racing in Europe as a teenager was nothing more than a difference.
There is no “fear” in the NFL. That’s true. This is a horrifying decision that was fully proven with audience sizes that talk about how important the NFL is when IndyCar is the option. And that was when IndyCar was not at Fox. Now it’s on the channel that cares more about the NFL than its rivals.
Fox will be holding Sundays at pre-game shows and airing morning and afternoon matches. And Sunday Night Football is another name, one of the most watched broadcasts on NBC every week. But if there’s a two-hour window in the IndyCar race that doesn’t start at 6am or 11pm there, I’m everything.
Q: How do you read Penske’s press release? Has the power jumped or did he push? I can only see two possibilities. 1) He was pushed, but as you can imagine, it’s done with a lot of respect and grace, making it look like a decision. Or 2) he actually made the decision to move to Andretti. Because he probably has a multi-year contract, and I can imagine it. You took a press release at face value and he was offered his last year at Pensuke.
Abraham Jimross, State Island, New York
MP: Here are some pro tips: If you want to read something insightful, educational, honest, or entertaining, ignore the quotes from the Newsy Press release. They are written primarily by PR officials and sometimes get approval from those who have comments attached.
On the media side, manufactured quotes or bleached quotes that have been sanitized to meet the desired message or tone is often all we get until the problem person or people are willing to speak directly, and in this case it was not provided.
Q: This is a question I’m sure others are probably wondering about. With the power to move to Andretti after 2026, do you think it could bring Tim Sindrick to incorporate Tim Sindrick again?
Lake in Paul, Hills, Illinois
MP: I think Cindric might say whether this is possible or not. If that’s interested in him, it’s going to be a great move by the team.
Apart from employing Ganasi’s Mike Hull, no one has a more impressive record of IndyCar victory and championships over the century. And it is based on Andretti’s daily record of Andretti’s daily Andretti’s upcoming Ganassi, Pensuke, and now Arrow McLaren. Yes, it’s driver vs driver, but in reality it’s team vs team and that’s where the big difference is found.
Power is a great employment that will make the team better, but the team behind the driver needs to make great strides to catch Aroma Claen and Ganassi.
Q: My question about Will Power going to Andretti is, does Power have a drive with the GTP team at Enduros? Has he ever driven a top-level sports car before? If so, do you think he’ll be the absolute monster of those cars?
Kyle, me
MP: He wanted to go to sports car racing forever, but Pensuke wouldn’t allow it. The WTR team may be owned by TWG, but it is not Andretti’s team. This is a complete factory Cadillac program where all drivers are selected by WTR rather than Andretti and selected by Cadillac. That’s why Power is now an IndyCar Honda driver.
Just as he has never seen an IndyCar driver with Andretti’s Honda in the WTR Cadillac lineup this year, the current GM driver doesn’t expect him to be asked to drive a GTP vehicle that has never competed against a factory team that currently opposes the brands he represents at IndyCAR. However, Acura may extend the invitation to power to test at Meyer Shanklace.
Palou was meant to be in Petit Le Mans’ factory Acura/MSR Car, but it is said that he had to decline as the McLaren lawsuit came to mind.
This feels like a good time to drive Willpower shots driving an F1 car. James Moy/Getty Images
Q: I’m reading the harsh words and thoughts thrown into Team Pensuke for a situation with Willpower, and I wanted to offer the opposite perspective
First of all, Power remains a great driver and I think he will be successful at Andretti Global.
What I believe has happened is to bring together a lot of things that will make this the best decision for everyone involved. Sports History What he showed us before is that the team’s long-time stars are not part of the long-term future and sadly must make tough decisions. Watch the Cubs trade stars for the 2016 World Series team.
This is something you think you’re seeing on Team Penske. Team Penske isn’t saying that David Malukas is better than Will Power. They realise that Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin could be there for the next 10-12 years, and there would have been more years. With a full management overhaul and more coming (based on Diuguid’s quote), they are about to refresh themselves with drivers who can be seen in their seats for longer than Joseph or Scott. Build a group of drivers along with a new team structure as a unit. Jonathan Diuguid has done an incredible job of building IMSA and WEC teams from scratch, but has he not been able to do the same on the Indycar side, which has great history and great team members?
Again, Will may not have been useful there, but the team may need to find their footing with all the pieces in place from the start. It’s getting more pain, but based on history, I think Team Pensuke will find his footing and return to the fight for the championship.
Brad, Yorktown, Indiana
MP: That’s an interesting take, Blood. What I’ve said many times here is clearly not the future of the team, it’s beyond spending more years and how long they’re going. This was obvious to everyone.
But when you’re talking about feeling the need to refresh, the conversation should be about something fresh and something that needs to be fresh. If the old one is also old, it is an item to prune and throw. However, it does not meet that standard.
With pure results, Power has been a fresh driver for Team Pensuke in recent years. He happens to be the oldest. These two things can coexist if allowed. Pensuke opposed allowing it.
Scott Dixon, the oldest driver of the 45 IndyCar, finished third in the rankings. He wasn’t close to where he matches Palou, but he still won the race and proved to be the third best IndyCar driver of 2025, but second best on his team. And Ganassi is not in a hurry to part ways with Dixon.
Hell, using Team Penske’s math, you need to fire all drivers not named Palou. Oward, the closest driver to Palou, finished with 196 points to the championship winner. For context, the gap between the first and second positions was more than stabbing Ray Robbs, whom he acquired throughout the season (181).
Fighting to understand this is no longer worth our time. That’s done. Power has moved to his new team. There’s exactly what Pensuke wants. Let’s reunite a year later to see if the change is a genius move or if it backfired.
Q: Well, that might be our current age, strangely Mario Andretti moved to the F5000 to bolster his chances for F1. It seems to work well given that he became the 1978 Formula One champion. The situation is not the same, but it is similar. Additionally, Colton must obtain Super License Points. The game plan pursues Michael Andretti’s hopes to have a US team in Formula 1 and have Colton as one of the drivers. I wish Colton good luck and I’ll power next year. I’m still hoping to see Indy’s Colton on Memorial Day weekend and don’t stand in my Cadillac garage with earphones on.
Skip R., South Carolina
MP: Mario’s first F1 race used Lotus in 1968, and the same year’s Formula 5000 was introduced as the SCCA class, so the timeline doesn’t work. Also, Mario will not “move” to the F5000. It was one of the 3-4 series he raced at the same time, including IndyCar, Formula 1 and sports cars.
Q: I’m an old school Foyt/Indy fan and I admit to being a lightspin on everything about Pensuke. New Garden/Castroneves play and play the camera characters. It’s not power. I respect talent and integrity and hope he will dominate that Andretti Galaxy Universal Interstellar Comedy Team. Advice to Malukas: Be prepared to hate your life.
David Monkette
MP: I chose the wrong week to stop glue sniffing.
Q: I think the big, unanswered question this week is whether Will Power will take Colton’s seat behind Jib’s drums.
Ed, jersey
MP: It is said that Zibs will be playing in Cota F1 this year.
Q: I noticed a crash on Patooward and Calm Hedges and noticed that the front suspension appears to have entered the bathtub. Just like the Hinch crash. Did I see it correctly? I thought Indycar had fixed it. I don’t know about NXT.
This is YouTube videos Crushing hedge.
Another point is that I have been a fan of Pensuke since Mark Donohue’s days. It was a shame how Willpower was handled. It’s definitely not Penske Perfect. I think the team has more classes and hangs in the breeze without leaving while they make the decision. I understand it’s business, but this was just a lack of class and respect. Penske doesn’t look good, especially after all the issues they’ve had this year.
What do you say?
Wally, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
MP: Looking for a part where the suspension enters the tub, as it has not been shown to support that claim. Does that mean the suspension is flattened against the bathtub?
Q: So I’ll go to Andretti and trade Chevrolet with Honda and bring him all sorts of small pieces of information. I think he’ll be quick from the trailer and fight all races. Marcus replaces Chevrolet with Chevrolet, but I think Pensuke’s curve will learn. He gets ruined before he settles down. Veekay goes to Voyt and trades Honda for a Chevrolet and picks up where he left him in a Pensuke/Foyt collaboration. fast.
It’s interesting to see who’s sitting in two seats at Dale.
Your thoughts?
Jeff, Colorado, relies on Denver Race in 2017
MP: I already cover a lot in last week’s story, so here’s the new item I’m adding: Marcus managed to finish 11th The championship was with a pit crew who didn’t overstress speed and consistency.
Of the 27 entries, David’s No. 4 Voyt Crew was 19th.th With a pit stop performance. He headed to the No. 12 Pensuke car, ranked fifth in the pit lane.
If he’s nothing different in 2026, upgrades will only drive him within the top 10.
He must be peering at No. 12 pit crew. Joe Skibinski/IMS
Q: As next year’s schedule has changed, I am mainly considering a shift from Toronto and a focus on the races and fans, my question is, should IndyCar consider street racing in or around Marion County?
It is no secret that the largest pocket of the IndyCar fan lives within two hours of the i465. Of course, it may not make much sense at the best race venue in the world. But instead of making IMS look like a ghost town before the 500, why not move to a Labor Day weekend race in one of the suburbs of Indy or go downtown for street racing?
I’m drawing something around one of Hamilton County’s new sports/concert venues. With proper promotion, several concerts were performed over the weekend, making it easy to draw over 100k over the weekend. The Hamilton County Department of Sports appears to be destined to bring more to the county, with no shortage of businesses that can engage and benefit. Perhaps I’ve already answered my question with the existence of IMS.
Kaleb Hartman
MP: That’s an interesting idea, Kaleb. I’m not sure IndyCar/IMS wants to create a local rival event, but up to your point, Indy GP never took off and didn’t feel anything more than a schedule filler. If it’s about making the appearance of IndyCar always special, if there’s a way to succeed without risking a 500-year attendance cut, I’d be everything to experiment with local street racing.
Q: I know Colton Hertha is chasing his dreams, and I respect that. But isn’t it going down to F2 and making IndyCar even worse?
I’m not against the Super License. I agree with that from a business perspective. F1 wanted to protect the ladder system, but that’s nothing wrong. I hope they take IndyCar more seriously. But does IndyCar take itself seriously enough?
If you’re good enough with IndyCar, you shouldn’t need the points you have in F1. That should happen as Indycar is a professional series with a lot of talent. But that requires a better car, right? For F1 teams and for F1 itself, it makes sense for F1 itself, given the skills needed to find a speed window at such a high pace.
I remember reading that F1 drivers said that testing previous car programs using the latest F1 cars was better than the F2 season. So why doesn’t IndyCar design a car that is within 5 seconds of the F1 pace? That was around the pace of the F1 rule cycle in 2009-2013. Being a spec series gives you a lot of freedom to choose your pace.
The engine power is already pretty much there. They also had a KERS system. Weight means light and fragile parts. However, the driver must stop driving as if he were in the cup car. And it would be a plus for F1 to take the IndyCar drivers more seriously. Homemade IndyCar drivers are more respected, and the weaker name of F1 makes them less likely to find seats in IndyCar. Both contribute to IndyCar’s more positive view.
I know this brings problems with the oval shape. But can’t they really hold the oval current thing (using new aero)? When you buy a new car, you also buy oval parts. If you crash eggs or other parts into an oval shape, you will need new parts. Will you end up getting the same cost (if your road course car gets cheaper)? All teams already own them. And over time, charters reduce the number of teams they are trying to participate. From the viewers’ point of view, it is clear that the Indy 500 is not suffering as it has an older car. So, can’t you do that?
Of course, Indycar was able to continue doing his thing by simply saying, “I won’t give you **** about what other people think.” In this case, I hope F1 will turn F2 into something like Moto2. The larger series, with pace closer to F1, go to F1 when called, like a unique world championship where professional drivers make a living there. If so, Hertha going there makes more sense.
William Mazeo
MP: I’ve been dreaming of the day when people accept IndyCar as their own, they don’t have to distort themselves to be pre-Formula 1 and behave like Formula 1, or to respect or respect themselves as they are supposed to be F1 fans, teams or drivers.
Q: Regarding the question of why Nashville is called Super Speedway. The Nashville Fairgrounds were called the Nashville Speedway, so they had to be called something else. Typically, the Super Speedway is at least 2 miles long.
Joe Marines
MP: Yes.
Q: NASCAR was calling a superspeedway over a mile. When Dover Downs built a new track, I think they wanted to make sure it wasn’t confused with the fairgrounds that had been called Nashville Speedway for a while. So it’s called Nashville Super Speedway. Go to Fairgrounds .596 and then 1.33 and it looks huge.
Ricky, Tennessee
MP: You may need to be free from “super” and go with Awesomespeedway, ExcellentsSpeedway, or GreatSpeedway.
Q: Over the past few years, I’ve had dreams like Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, Lamborghini, and more, as well as the appeal of simply adapting the IMSA GTP engine to IndyCar.
Unfortunately, size is important. The hybrid power unit of the sports car was too big for the DW12. As it does for the next generation of Dallara Chassis used by IndyCar.
So why not four bangers? Is it a perception issue? A healthy problem? Offy dominated the races of the champion cars for decades, winning his first victory in 1935 with the Indy 500 and his final victory in 1978 with Trenton. I can’t recall any complaints about screams that were usually produced by suction, supercharged or turbocharged foam.
In 1983, Nelson Piquet won the F1 Championship with his Brabham on a 1500cc BMW M12 four-cylinder engine. It is believed that the team pumped out more than 1,400 horsepower in the qualifying round and 1,000 horsepower in the race trim. This engine was also used by the ATS, Benetton, Arrows and Ligier teams in the mid-1980s.
Brian Hart built a four-cylinder engine that introduced Tallman’s Ayrton Senna to the world (and Alan Prost) amid the rains in Monaco. AJ Voyt set a closed course speed record in 1987, essentially driving the IndyCar chassis for March, with a long-tailed body of Swarpy, powered by a heavily modified four-cylinder Oldsmobile quad.
Zakspeed built a turbo variant of the Ford Cosworth BDA 4-cylinder engine for sports car racing in 1982. Dungarney’s Aar Eagle Mkiii Cars were very dominant in the IMSA Camel GT series in the early 90s.
All major manufacturers make cars with four-cylinder engines, and they can build engines that all fit their power/size/reliability bills (even if they need to keep a horrible, valuable hybrid system). The trick is to come up with a Regs and Rule Book that attracts participation. Is this the bridge too far for IndyCar?
Bill Tiber, Tempe,
MP: Lots of amazing examples, Bill, the latest one is 32 years old.
Mazda was the only modern manufacturer to choose the four-cylinder turbo for its big program in the IMSA DPI campaign launched in 2017, and it took less than years to maintain its explosiveness. Once reliability was found, the Mazda RT24-PS became a serious candidate for victory occasionally, but never preyed on the twin-turbo V6 Acura or the naturally aspirated Cadillac V8.
The answer to your question is that you have a lot of information about what the manufacturer is doing and not interested in it, and in the engine rules of IndyCar, no one I know wanted a four-cylinder. If that was what they wanted, we would put them in the car today or be built for the next one. But it’s not happening, so that’s the message you receive.
Four cylinders, many headaches. Richard Doll/IMSA
Q: The problem I have with the theory that “the second seat in Red Bull is a bad seat” is that I don’t think I’m getting closer to performance with my champion teammates who are fully integrated into the team.
Is it possible that the car is fine, Guthrie, Lawson and Albon are too young, and Perez is older in 2024? Does Yuki match Max?
Do you think drivers on the grid will be Match vs Verstappen over the full season?
Will, Indy
Chris Medland: This has two aspects, addressing the second question first, but it won’t be a Verstappen total match over the full season. But I think some of the best things have made him run pretty close in many races and beat him a few times.
As for the drivers I list, I think it’s very unlikely if I have to suggest 5 different (high-quality drivers aren’t performing) three different reasons. The typical denominator is the seat, not the driver. For example, Perez was 34 last year, but in Formula 1 terms I’m really not old.
I think Guthrie, Lawson and Albon were all rushed through, but Albon also ran pretty well at first, hitting the ground. It shows that younger drivers may do if the car is working according to their preferences.
And in many ways Yuki was the perfect candidate. He has a lot of experience with the junior team, he is still young and very fast. And his results are very similar to what we saw from Czecco at the end of last year, and I imagine Liam if he was still in his seat.
He’s so good, so he does the Max Paper over the crack, but he also plays brilliantly in cars that are more compliant with other drivers, which will give Red Bull a better chance at both championships.
Q: Can‘Understand why Colton Hertha, who has been racing Indiana for years, doesn’t.‘T qualifies for a super license, and did Kimi Antoneri earn enough points to qualify at the age of 18? Help the elderly to understand.
Terry
CM: FIA Super License was designed to prevent paid drivers from purchasing seats without the necessary consequences. Basically, we aim for the lowest level of performance. We were also able to create a clear route for the FIA to prepare drivers for F1 to F4, Formula Regional (FR), F3 and F2.
As the FIA has full control over the regulations of these single-seater championships, it was able to make sure it was the best fit for the ladder towards F1, thus giving it more super licensing points than other series that have no jurisdiction (such as IndyCar).
Indycar is highly recognized – except for F2, it is the only category that offers 40 super license points to champions, but from there the points drop, but you get good points when you win F4, FR, F3 or F2, which are part of the Single Seater Championship on FIA transfers.
Antonelli won super licenses for two seasons in Italy’s F4, Germany’s F4 (both equivalent to 12 points), FR Middle East (18 points) and FR Europe (25 points), while the F2’s top six were worth another 10 points. The consistent results of the ladder meant he reached the total.
Colton is always close thanks to P2 in IndyCar’s 2024 ranking (30 points), but this year P10 in 2023 (1 point) and P7 (4 points) just shortens him. The top four of this year’s rankings scored him enough points, so he wasn’t far behind at all.
Q: The bias in the FIA Super Licensing System was extremely important in the news this week. If so, what are you doing to improve this situation and why have you not done anything in the past? With three Formula 1 races in the US, the FIA should be more kind.
David, Waxhaw, North Carolina
CM: I don’t know if the number of US F1 races should have anything to do with the super licensing system, but I agree that IndyCar should receive more points. We can see partially the argument that it offers a full super license to champions, but the problem is the rate at which points drop from there (30 for p3, 20 for p4, 20 for p5, 8 for p7, 4 for p8, 4 for p8, 2 for p9, 2 for p10, 2 for p10, 2 for p10, 2 for p10, 2 for p10, 2 for p10, 2 for p10).
If you finish the top five in a very impressive IndyCar season rather than a one-off result, you could only get 16 points. There is also a scenario where you can do it in the top six for three years in a row, not even halfway through total points. This is ridiculous.
But Accus is always loyal to its roots and always fights a bit of a losing battle, as it needs to provide the championship it desires. This means that I may not necessarily meet the regulations, race rules, or tracks used (such as Super Speedways or old-fashioned road courses) meet F1 FIA standards.
Therefore, FIA-led championships (F4, Formula Regional, F3, F2) receive strong weighting. This is because many of these are series that have been tailored to prepare drivers for Formula 1 and race on the same track, etc.
Although IndyCar is not a F1 feeder series, these championships are and they need to have the most points to continue doing that. For example, if you give Indycar the same points as the F2, junior drivers may have the option and more drivers may chase the Indycar seat as a stepping stone.
When Hertha was seen by Red Bull two years ago, I know that FIA and Accus had a fairly recent discussion about Super License Points. And I think it is always under review to ensure that the balance on both sides of the Atlantic is deemed correct. Herta’s planned movements in F2 could potentially bring it back to a moving field of vision.
Herta has returned the ratings for Super License Points back to focus. Joe Skibinski/IMS
Q:i‘VE recently noticed that there were many ads on the Las Vegas Grand Prix around other F1 trucks. Are they struggling to sell tickets? Is the race at risk after the current contract is over? I want to know the heart that asks questions!
Andy, Chicagoland
CM: No, that’s what always happened because the Las Vegas Grand Prix is an F1-owned and advertised event. That’s why F1 itself is advertised using platforms from other races. In other races, F1 is already making money from them, and there is no need to run the promotion itself (at least not to the same extent).
I know that the ticket sales approach was changed a year ago to provide more GA tickets than hospitality compared to a year ago. If they see the dip, new races have traditionally noticed it in their second and third years, so you wouldn’t be surprised to see the flatlines and slight declines this year again, but at this point we haven’t heard any major concerns.
Regarding the current contract, it is actually the last year of the original transaction, but the agreement continues for 10 years. I actually asked the source about the weekend in Monza and was told that it is unlikely that a full extension will be confirmed so far, but the two to three years agreement will be approved as city and resort and could be promoted if they see value in the future.
Q: How long do you think the contract renewal time will one of the McLaren F1 drivers decide to leave? I think the next time my contract is extended, another contract will start looking for another top team seat and will likely find it. What are your thoughts and do you know when their contract will expire?
Ed Jalas
CM: The current deals between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will run until the end of 2026 and 2027 respectively, but are understood to have additional provisions that could lead to a more than a year of running. Given the recent form, I feel very likely that I will be able to see both as teammates, at least until the end of 2027.
That would have meant Norris would first need further expansion, at which point he would have been competing with McLaren for nine years, and he would be the team’s most Grand Prix start by the end of this season. So, although he would consider a new challenge, I think it will likely be driven by McLaren’s competitiveness under the next set of regulations.
While neither of these will lack suitors, the culture created by both drivers and teams is long-term, with key staff trying to maintain an era of success.
Q: Does Cadillac do all of its own chassis in Formula 1 cars, or is he consulting with someone else like Dalara or Haas? And if you become an engine builder in 2029, do you need to supply the engines to other teams?
Chris
CM: Cadillac does all its own chassis work, but manufacturing at this stage is being handled externally as the team develops. Team Principal Graeme Lowdon says the chassis were designed in-house earlier this year and all test layups are manufactured in-house, but the final chassis is manufactured by us, outsourced to the regular suppliers of the supply chain.
Once the initial power unit is ready, Cadillac will only need to supply the engine to another team if the team has not agreed to a specific deadline. The manufacturer will then be forced to supply customers, but given the number of suppliers since 2026, Audi and Honda will only provide power units for one team next year.
Q: Some sites have reported that Mick Schumacher is receiving priority treatment from Alpine on his contract. This includes most of the new tires. How common is it in sports cars?
Also, isn’t that a bad thing for the team? In other words, I don’t think they’ll become best friends. However, three drivers share the car. Making this type of transaction seems technical and a bad idea from the work environment point. It doesn’t seem that Schumacher did anything in his career to deserve it.
William Mazeo
Stephen Kilby: My understanding is that it is not common for sports car drivers to sign contracts that include a list of specific requirements such as new tires for all sessions. But we see elements of this element in this area of sports, especially in teams where one or more drivers fund the program.
For example, the driver of Privateer Hypercar may be written in the contract that he is for all his qualification sessions (as this is a tool used to be discovered in the factory). Bronze plate drivers in categories like the LMGT3 could also be passed on all the new tires and most track time in real life. However, that is much less contractually likely and instead an amateur driver’s drive time is a very important form of strategic move.
However, I think it’s rare for a driver to generally recognize such advantages over teammates in a multi-driver lineup. Now I haven’t seen a contract with my own eyes, but if it was really true, I must have felt that his combination of talent and marketability had justified such treatment.
Q: I think the photo of Jarno Trulli is pure gold. I met him before the USGP in Indianapolis when he drove towards Toyota. I wish I had spent most of my time talking to Cristiano da Matta (actually his joke punchline about my race cooler) and taking pictures of Galno. Can you come up with a photo of Jarno since his days as a Toyota?
Steve Cox
Mark Glendenning: Certainly. And we’ve had a lot of fun at his expense over the years, so let’s change the tack and see one of his highlight moments. Give Toyota the final F1 podium ever, finishing second in the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix.
The final words
September 12, 2018, from Robin Miller’s mail bag
Q: I just want to know about the fastest car historically and how its “power” translated into a good race. In other words, it was more fun to watch and did the driver prefer power?
Trey Keel in Austin, Texas
Robin Miller: Bobby Answer asked John “Mandrake” Miller for more strength when he drove towards Dan Gurney, but says that the three Indy 500 winners are 1,200 horsepower the most he’s ever seen. Driver A boosted everything, but there were a lot of engine failures and the race wasn’t necessarily that good.
