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.
Note: I received several letters about the Will Power exit from Team Penske, but they all arrived after closing the gates with this week’s MailBag question. Look for them in next week’s edition-ed.
Q: If Indycar races overseas, do them early in the US until Fox’s big noon kickoff. Fox is pretty busy on fall Saturdays and Sundays with football, but how about time slots on Saturday mornings? I love the idea of waking up in IndyCar races leading up to soccer day. It appears to be working in F1. Most big noon kickoff shows start at 10, but some start at 9. At most events, it seems that getting the IndyCar race at 7am will work.
While we’re working on it, let’s use playoff style formats for overseas race sets. Please do anything. Let Fox decide. I don’t care. I hope Indycars will be faster in November.
Sasha
Marshall Pruette: It’s been 13 years since the last Brazilian race that IndyCar ventured across the US and Canada when he went to Mexico next year. It’s going to be an explosion, but I don’t think I need my passport for many international races.
Q: F1 summer vacation seems like a great opportunity for IndyCar to reach the front of European fans.
Spend these three weekends and race on F1 tracks that fell off the calendar. Not too distant future spas have Barcelona, Zandovruto and Imola on several other lists. I know it’s fantasy, but it’s certainly fun.
Ben, Wilmington, North Carolina
MP: That’s what it will be. Last time, it was the 2007 champion car that IndyCar Racing had a solid European stint.
Q: I’m reading it with some interesting rumours that Indycar will be returning to Phoenix next season. I participated in many races at PIR, but the Open Wheel Series was a regular on the time schedule. Unfortunately, when the race resumed after a few years of holidays, they were less interesting and attendance was low. I’m excited to race IndyCar here in Phoenix, but I’m wondering if the racing is better than it was back then. Do you have any opinions on what to expect?
Paul, Arizona
MP: The 2016 and 2017 races were manufacturers’ aero kits and they weren’t surprising. 2018 with the Universal Aero Kit was fun, but both were very different specifications from today’s cars. Short oval races in the hybrid Aeroscreen era were generally excellent, so I’m sure IndyCar can find the right downforce level to host the right show.
Q: While reading a recent article on the 2026 schedule, something caught my eye. “St. Petersburg) retains its traditional place as the first Indy Car event of the season.” Is it possible that the season will start early at some point in the future? I think the answer to extending the season starts early, rather than ending later. I think it would be great to start the week before the Super Bowl.
Brian, Joliet, Illinois
MP: There’s no schedule and the series suggests that it could drop something earlier this year, so I put it there. Other things I’ve heard since that article: Indycar may not be the feature race in Phoenix on Saturday. If so, the morning race slot before the NASCAR Xfinity series could become a reality. I also heard Detroit put WWTR the following week, which is likely.
Q: Is it possible that the involvement of Honda Canada, which has been racing Toronto Indy Car since 2009, and dealers, has now disappeared? The recent stories about your mention of the uncertain future of the event, particularly the town of Markham, doubt the desperate attempt to keep it alive by trying to get more money from the local city government.
Keith Baxter, Toronto, Ontario
MP: I don’t know. Honda has a large corporate presence near the new race location.
Q: Could you explain how a 1.33 mile racetrack is considered a superspeedway? I thought it had to be at least two miles or more to be considered a superspeedway. I’m very confused.
Dave
MP: There’s nothing “needed” here, as we can’t find a court for track naming requirements. It sounds like people who own trucks want to call it a Super Speedway. I have the same pet peeve that adds “International” to track names.
Q: Thoughts about Fox’s first year with IndyCar.
TL: I was disappointed. Letter Grade C. Barely.
1) The early ads and promotions were great. Includes the Super Bowl. a
2) Teeth pain. The constant timing and scoring snaphths that followed the season were unappealing and did not inspire hopes for presumed attempts at improvement. c-
3) Pit report. Solid A. Georgia, Kevin and Jack are amazing. The praise for Jack was literally thrown in Zero Training the week before St. Pete.
4) TV timing. Too many races have slowed the broadcast or ended very early due to other Fox Sports properties. Indycar is or is not a priority. You can’t have it in both ways. It’s an epic failure to try and attract new audiences when the broadcast starts 20 minutes late. d
5) Chris Myers. I will be kind, but that is impossible. He is simply terrifying. If this is what is available in Fox’s ownership stock, we are all in trouble. f
6) Announcer. It’s really mixed. Will does great research and runs. good. Unfortunately, the season has been overabundant and the hyperbolic nature has been taken over. Not everything is “nice.” He needs to dial it down to Tikal and become a play by the play announcer of the role. C. Townsend. It sounds like a 50-year-old is trying so hard that he can’t be a cool guy at school. Cut high school terminology. You never need to listen to the “sketch” again. C-Hinch. Displays exhibits for professional race analysts. A.
7) Technology. Mixed bag. Some very good cutaway cars and suspension settings animation. Early blocking of Aeroscreen sponsors is not good. Don’t fix it immediately. It’s really not good. Driver Eyeview is excellent, but why limit its use? C+
Mike Dealdo, Malibu in the Midwest – Sheboygan
MP: TL chef kiss; DR used. I felt that 2010 had wiped me out.
It contains the microphone for Sheboygan’s verdict. James Black/IMS
Q: I think Nashville had more racing and excitement than the last six F1 races, but F1 seems to have the inexplicable mysticism that took over 360,000 people to the dunes of Zandvoort to see the queue last weekend. Maybe if Verstappen moves Stateside, will the stand here be filled?
Two points. If a car is thrown carefully, say McLaughlin, why is that driver allowed to hold position in the truck?
Secondly, I wonder why they bring out sweepers at that point in the race. If you really have concerns about marbles, you should have had a mandatory warning at half distance. This seems like this wan attempts to manage the results on both counts.
Finally, Fox certainly works hard, but the presentation of the season-ending trophy was pathetic. Have they forgotten to tell people? Townsend and James are great, but my goodness will miss Leedy Fay! And I hope they will have Danica at home next year.
Enjoy the off-season
Chris H., Alexandria, Virginia
MP: That’s an interesting point about attention. If the driver causes minimal things like local yellow in qualifying, they lose something as punishment – their two fastest laps – but there is no punishment to pay attention to the race. It seems to be an imbalance.
Q: As Eliseo Salazar tried to plant Davy Jones in the IMS inside the wall, he culminated with hooks on Portland this season, as we witnessed this season, and Ronnie Lewis Foster expanded David Marcus to David Marcus on the turn of 190 mphviville, and he culminated with hooks on Portland this season in Portland.
You can’t pull race controls away from IndyCar faster before the driver’s lifespan is seriously placed on the line. Both drive-through penalties? are you kidding? These were movements that the NASCAR driver created at much lower speeds on short tracks 30-40 years ago. It’s not that dangerous. Open wheel speed/car.
These drivers deserved to be kicked out of both races and Disqualified from the next event. The lack of complete care from the officials at IndyCar is totally shocking to me!
Greg, New Jersey
MP: Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Greg.
Q: So, does Indycar actually award the new clown the award and send one of its bright stars to the hospital with a blatant, awful blocking manipulation? I hope Bobby Lahar demonstrates some classes and leadership by insisting he doesn’t accept it.
David Spear
MP: At least we’re not overreacting.
A bad move by Louis on the block. Marcus was in turn crowded downwards and made contact with Foster. Cleared like the day of replay. Obviously, it wasn’t intentional by Marcus unless he wanted to crash. The award is based on 17 races rather than 17 races. There’s nothing to repay.
If there’s something embarrassing about it, it’s how Rorty settles down between drivers finishing P23 and P24 in the championship. That’s scary. If Roty can’t finish within the top 20 in any season, the series could be award winning.
What’s the last thing with Linus Lundqvist in 2024? P16. Previous year? While skipping Marcus Armstrong, P20, five oval laces! Christian Lundgaard, the predecessor of Foster’s RLL in 2022? Try P14.
Q: Can you say it’s the incredible and epic flagship I witnessed in the Milwaukee and Nashville races? He didn’t pay much attention to the flagman, but this guy is bad for the bones waving the flag. He deserves a cry for showing us how to see from the flagman ships of this world. Does Penske/Indycar employ him for all races? If I’m not in touch, if I should know who it is, please forgive me.
Timothy S., Nashville, Tennessee
MP: No need to worry. That’s an example of Aaron. His autobiography, “Playing in traffic, My Journey from Autism Diagnosis to Indy 500 Flag Stands” is worth buying.
Q: I remember lamenting the necessary decision to abandon the crazy crash-filled street race in Nashville and move to the speedway, but I haven’t looked back now. Sunday’s race was very interesting. New Speedway hero Ras Mussen crashed on lap 1 and finished on a drive-by of his brave, injured teammates in New Garden. I think Scotty Mac has found his groove perfectly, and he’s a must-see lately.
There were also two outstanding driver mistakes, except for some of the surprising drives by some of the regular suspects and some of the still unconventional suspects (Simpson comes to mind). I think Foster should have been given a drive-thru for the dangerous dart movement in front of Marcus, but the subsequent wreck was a joint effort.
And then there was Willpower’s unfortunate pit stop. It seemed he could win the race, so I was given all my strength for him. Boo-boo did not determine his future with Penske, but he didn’t look good. Hopefully he will be in the series for years to come. He and Dixon can win more races before they cut it.
Firestone has gotten some hits on the tire front and there may be room for improvement, but see what they are against. The car is heavy, loaded laterally on most of the lap, rough surfaces and high drivers, but sub-indie speeds are comfortable with some slip. As long as they are, I am amazed at the right front. Is there a team that says they need to make major changes to their tires?
I can’t wait for the 2026 season to begin. I’m glad that Fox is already promoting it. How wonderful is it? The track will be a good draw and they will definitely have a good show. I hope the manufacturer and sponsors have value in the series. The race is great, and there is enough drama, storyline and personality to satisfy even F1 fans. The future looks good for me.
Chris, Colorado
MP: Foster received the drive-thru. Oward was the only driver to fail the race. Palou was due to cuts. I agreed to the future. I really hope to see some crossover drives at St. Pete.
Q: I’m pleased that Indycar and NASCAR are having a joint event in Phoenix, but if they made it into Kota, it would have been even better. I hope that will help people at Fox Sports make it possible in 2027 or 2028.
Alistair, Springfield, MO
MP: Give me Phoenix every time.
It’s cota’s no-ta. Scott Lepage/Honda
Q: Please explain about the dangerous contactless pit release. The front runner must finish the pit stall and the back marker whoa, but no contact occurs, why is it considered unsafe? Why does the back marker not share a bit of responsibility? It happened to Hertha on Sunday, but I think it happened in the race as well.
Kyle
MP: Because fouls are fouls. “It’s a star, and it’s a back marker, so the back marker has to give way to the pit lane.” Penalties are given for blocking in races, obstructing in qualifying, and blocking/obstructing in pit lanes in races.
Q: It’s a great race in Nashville, but I was disappointed with the crowd numbers. Once all construction takes place in downtown Nashville, will the race return to street racing? There was a problem with the previous layout, but hopefully it will be fixed when it comes back. Of course, regardless of layout issues, there was a lot of energy from the crowd and the real party atmosphere needed at the end of the season race. In fact, every race needs a party atmosphere.
Dave
MP: You will need to inquire about your return from Downtown. I took pictures of the crowd at the start of 2024 and then wandered afterwards, taking shots of the same-sex grandstand on Sunday, a bit lighter than last year, which is a shame. It’s not a big difference, but a slight decrease. The race was very good for second consecutive visits, so that side is working.
But the half-full stands are visibly overwhelmed in a big send-off to the series’ season. I hope Indycar will be able to trade them in the future and move Nashville ahead of Milwaukee.
Q: I read that Grosjean wants to be an IndyCar driver again. Is there a chance? If so, with who? thank you. (I read your driver updates and don’t recall any mentions about him).
red
MP: Just The story released last week.
Q: Please help me understand the logic of F2 rumors from Colton Helta. If he is desperate for a super license, he can run six F1 FP1s on the Cadillac, he is 40 points. He could probably even do it after the ’26 IndyCar season if necessary. By going to F2, he sets himself up to fail unless he controls.
Is the availability of Power being played on this (i.e. they know that a very solid option is unexpectedly available, so let’s try Herta and prepare for F1)?
We also received questions about Abel, DeFranceco and Rob, who were far from the leader circle. Is it financially valuable for a team to have such an overwhelming driver? Abel’s qualifying run in Nashville was slower than most drivers’ warm-up laps. Certainly isn’t that enough at this level?
Paul, Glasgow, Scotland
MP: I’ve heard nothing to suggest that Colton is eager to play F1. I’ve heard that the driver who paid to him as if he was in Formula 1 was eligible to race in the series he thought he would enter and was his boss a few years ago.
That’s something I’ve heard for a long time, but if I run a brand new Formula 1 team, I don’t want more curveballs or distractions than I need.
Jacob qualified at 195.7 mph. Veekay, his respected teammate with engineering legend in charge of his car, qualified right next to him at 197.3 mph. Veekay’s two-lap qualifying run lasted 48.5 seconds, while Abel’s was 48.9 seconds. Maybe if it’s filtered, wouldn’t both be enough?
Most teams who know they risk losing a circle of leaders with paid drivers have become wise and included clauses that are obligated to the party paying to kick out the missing $1 million.
Q: After returning from Sunday’s race, I couldn’t help but think about how well Nashville had done with IndyCar for the second year in a row. From where I was sitting, the grandstand looked quite crowded. (Now I said last year just to see comments online about how empty the stands look on TV).
Honestly, after seeing the inactive crowds in WWTR and Iowa, I was wondering if the oval of the INDYCAR schedule outside of Indianapolis should go down the dodo path. But turnout in Milwaukee and Nashville brings me to the idea that, after all, a short egg could have a future on IndyCar’s schedule.
Everything was great in terms of the event itself. With great facilities and staff and courtesy of the US rejection, the fantastic pre-race concert, and of course, the race was a huge hit. I know that the type of company loves the aesthetics of street racing and still lament the loss of the old downtown circuit, but for this race fan, Nashville Super Speedway is doing well!
Garrick
MP: Two photos, 2024 and 2025.
This was a 100% Penske Entertainment Promotion after a major Scott Boltetta machine group handled last year’s event. There is a bone of successful event in voter turnout, but the amount of empty seating could be 50% at the speedway for IndyCar.
2024
2025
Q: I took part in an Indy Car race in Nashville and had a great time again. I was very happy to see such a huge audience for three reasons. The championship was decided two races ago, but fans have always been hard to compete anyway, and college football started this weekend.
For the second weekend in a row, there was a perfect turnout for oval races without resorting to country music superstars. This is a great result and is extremely encouraging for IndyCar in the future.
What do you estimate the size of the crowd in Nashville on Sunday? Did the crowd meet or exceed the expectations of Pensuke Entertainment in your view?
Kevin P., Los Angeles, California
MP: They said there are 18-20,000 people in the stand, so this is just a small part of it. The crowd looked like a smaller touch than last year, so no, I can’t imagine it fulfilling the series’ expectations. But I am grateful to the amazing people who have turned out to be around 90 degrees for a breakup of the season.
Q: I wanted to write about how much I enjoyed the race in Nashville and say it. It was fun and there was a lot of drama from the green flag to the checkered flag. The leads changed many times, and I cheered on each new driver who took the lead. When Will Power scored the lead on his contract with Pensuke at the end of the race, he was thinking how great it would have been if Will Power had been on the victory. It was a beautiful day here in Michigan, but I’m happy I spent two and a half hours in my recliner, looking at the fastest cars in the world. Bring St. Petersburg!
Don, Grand Rapids, Michigan
MP: DJ Willy P. Great-Side-By-Side Racing, agreed on some crashes and cautions. – again –He became one of IndyCar’s top two or three oval racers. He won’t come back for a child from Spain who had never seen an oval until 2020.
Q: With a third ownership to IndyCar and Fox Sports’ marketing capabilities, they seem to have more to say in determining a new race venue on the schedule, including chums between races at the start of the season, and after the high attendance and viewers St. Peters Bar Grace that occurs around March 1st, it appears they are saying more.
Next year, the Arlington Grand Prix will be awarded March 15th, with serious talks about the long-awaited new race at the Mexico City Race will arrive before Phoenix Raceway (possible joint weekend with NASCAR) and Long Beach arrive on schedule. And Washington, DC Street Race is being considered later in the season to mark our country’s 250th birthday and hopefully becomes a segue to the Northeastern market of the future IndyCar.
But we seem to be back around 18 races if the other race venues of the year are kept, with at least the one-year schedule being turned off (until we build a permanent grandstand for viewing of 5,000-10,000 people and other changes) as there is a potential loss for one or both of the Iowa races. There’s a chance that Penske Entertainment will allow the last one shot and give Iowa a double, but is there a demand for promoters to keep the race under the lights when the air temperature is cooler and there’s a good chance that more fans will be involved?
I caught some scattlebat winds coming down from Sutters on August 24th in the seat of Top Lau where my son and my son and I were sitting on the Milwaukee Mile. Perhaps due to the size of the vocal and enthusiastic crowd, they said that when the Milwaukee Mile enters its second year in 2024, the Milwaukee Mile will be on the scene. Three-day event. And why the races over the past two years have been spectacular!
What you’re saying and what you’re hearing do you think IndyCar will reach 20+ races on its 2026 schedule?
Dale, Cedarburg, Wisconsin
MP: I haven’t heard of 20. If 20 is additive, we welcome it. That is, it brings the right crowd and reputation. If there are some extra dads, 20, I’m not grateful. Penske Entertainment rents an Iowa track and fits the race itself, so there is no promoter to request it. It’s something you can negotiate with the track owner for the timing and timing of what you pay to rent a facility.
Q: I’d like to hear what you think about Milwaukee’s future on the schedule. With some holes to fill your schedule and an exciting race in this year’s miles with healthy crowds in the stands, does it make sense to you to bring the race back to the doubleheader?
Would it make more sense to finish the season at Wisconsin State Fair Park? This is a challenging truck with a passionate fanbase and driving distances from Indy and many other Midwest hub cities.
I understand that it was on the schedule for two years, but if the miles don’t have the original date for the week after Indy, why not look at what it can do as a finale? Maybe a Saturday night under the (portable) lights?
And why aren’t there all the paths to the Indy Series competing in Milwaukee? Again, it’s not far-reaching for a team based mostly in the Midwest, but younger drivers gain more oval experience while introducing fans to the fans during the day’s race.
Will, Wisconsin
MP: USF Championship Series concluded the season in Portland. I want to meet them in Milwaukee but I need to be careful about my annual budget, which means I’ll drop another race.
The USF Championship in Milwaukee is cool, but more races mean bigger budgets. Images by USF Pro Championships
Q: My question is about the timing display used during Fox Sports Race broadcasts. I really appreciate the banner showing how far the driver is behind the leader. It is very convenient. However, I would like to propose an additional display that shows the time gap between adjacent drivers. This makes it easier for viewers, commentators and the entire broadcast team to identify where on-track action is occurring.
F1 broadcasts regularly contain this kind of information, which I think will be relatively easy to implement. The added data really enhances the viewing experience.
The reason I’m reaching out is because I don’t know who I’m going to contact or how I’ll formally make this proposal. I hope you will help me point me in the right direction.
Blues
MP: @indycaron Fox social media accounts are the best way to communicate with the people in question.
Q: Are there any benefits to recent Twitter posts from Motorsports Reporter suggesting Dennis Hauger has already signed with Juncos Hollinger next season? He appears to be (as far as I know) a child of the Trust Fund, but it appears to bring consistent funding from RG to F2 to Indy NXT. In addition to his scholarship money, how much will it contribute to his potential ride next year?
And what is the possibility that Watkins Glen will return to its schedule any time to the short- to medium-term future? To get away from the calendar, the track is too historic.
Alex, Buffalo, NY
MP: I don’t know what Twitter post you are referring to, so is it the actual IndyCar author who posted it, or is it someone who posted it like a journalist whose work is held to a high standard, or has a social media account that “covers” IndyCar? There is a big difference. The latter is where most of the nonsense is generated.
I chatted with Dave O’Neill, the principal of the JHR team in Milwaukee on Friday, jokingly congratulating his new driver. He laughs and thanks him, and asks if he should actually meet Dennis before signing him… he shares the way he believes the rumors have begun.
Before being called back to Mothership in 2027, he was told to look for Dennis in coins with funds from Andretti to raise funds from Andretti to develop for the season.
Dennis was enough to go straight to IndyCar in 2025, but he didn’t have a budget. Indy NXT can only help as it is 10-15% of the annual INDYCAR budget, but his NXT level funding won’t win him an IndyCar seat. Plus, he’s too talented to pay.
WGI is one of those dream returns, but no one knows who wants to kick out millions of people to promote standalone Indy Car races. If WGI was part of Fox’s NASCAR broadcast schedule, I’m confident I’ll be watching the combo event with Cups, but I don’t have to get the annual Watkins fix by taking part in the six-hour Sahlen Glen at IMSA’s Sahlen.
Q: We’ve learned that Cusick Motorsports has finally announced that it is jumping into Indy NXT in collaboration with HMD. If I’m not wrong, this will result in a team count of 7 on Indy NXT. What is this signal on Indy NXT? Are you increasing interest in the feeder series? Will it attract more talent to Indy’s ladder? I think Dennis Hauger is a great example of the talent that NXT can attract.
I’ve seen the NXT broadcast on Fox and for obvious reasons it’s not that much attention. However, there may be some good races to watch. They are there trying to prove something. How can IndyCar and Fox boost Indy NXT? On the NASCAR side, the Xfinity series seems to be attracting a lot of attention. If every time the next NXT car brings it to the market, it can make 500 horsepower against the current 450 horsepower, I think it will help boost your on-track product. You need to bring the Indy NXT closer to F2 and INDYCAR closer to F1 in terms of power and track time.
Ben, Berkeley, Michigan
MP: IndyCar and NXT need to be exactly those things. This is not F1 or F2. We have our own car, our own culture, our own history. Maybe they should be like us.
Yes, NXT is expected to grow next season. The extra 50hp is no different. Kyle Kirkwood kicked the butt with this NXT car and saw where he was today. Pat O’Ward and Colton Hertha kicked the butts with this car and saw where they were. There are no changes necessary to make the final ladder of IndyCar more or less. Because that’s what the production of talents like Christian Rasmussen, Linus Lundqvist and Louis Foster say.
Fox Sports can put more emphasis on promoting NXT. This is the obvious answer. It’s great to see NXT come out of the shadows and get the cables’ realizations after years of being buried on streaming through peacock. It was once for the American Racing Series and is a way for Indy Light when its name was changed. There is no mystery as to how to make more from today’s stuff.
Q: I understand the need to pay drivers with IndyCar. What I don’t understand is that I have my drivers in cars that are not up to the standard of the series or team they drive. There have been many examples over the years, but I’m thinking of two examples now. The first is Jacob Abel and the second is Nolan Siegel.
Abel clearly hasn’t met IndyCar standards. The last time I learned about a moving Chicane like him in the series, it was Milka Duno. Abel’s family has enough money to buy his seat, but wouldn’t IndyCar and Dale Coyne want someone in the series/car to be a capable driver?
As for Seigel, he’s a little different case. He appears to have a talent for driving in the series, but it appears he can use some experience in a seat like the DCR before enduring one of the top team standards. If Verizon is willing to follow him until Siegel is ready for that seat, why not give someone a power over? Sponsorship money must be considered to offset the money lost from the Siegel family. Does McLaren really need a paid driver? One of the top teams with a global reputation actually attracted sponsor dollars, 18 spots behind the closest teammates right now, and could not attract sponsors and drivers more than anyone 84 points ahead of full-time drivers) Jacob Abel?
Brian, Phoenix, Arizona
MP: There is no credible argument to compare Jacob or Nolan to one of the worst in the series’ history. Abel won multiple NXT races last year and has the talent to play for IndyCar. His confidence was quickly killed as his season got off to a terrible start from a race engineer who he couldn’t connect with. He has only just started to experience more engineering changes and regain the confidence he lost.
He’s actually much faster, so that’s why it wasn’t that easy for him to pass, and that’s why he was able to have a serious fight. He deserves a second season, and knows the crew well before the season opener with a program built around him as most drivers have, and can actually build some belief in himself and those around him. He had a terrible rookie season. There’s no problem. But it’s ridiculous to put it all on him.
At Siegel, why does Arrow McLaren ignore his contract with Siegel and not let anyone else in his car? That’s not what they’re suing Alex Pallow, they didn’t respect the contract – and perhaps it didn’t plunge into a big hole in that lawsuit?
And does Arrow McLaren really need money for Siegel’s seat? Again, isn’t this a “slightly trivial” category?
Like Abel, Nolan has the talent worthy of being in IndyCar. I hope Jacob has another season on his contract to prove he’s worth staying in the top team. If he delivers, he will stay. If he didn’t, he would be gone. It’s quite democratic.
After a rough start, Abel began to find his groove later in the season. Joe Skibinski/IMS
Q: It is said that IndyCar is behind another. The second car gets “dirty air” in the underwing, reducing downforce. Townsend and Hinch showed that trailing drivers need to move sideways to get out of the dirty air. Meanwhile, in the same scenario, trailing cars are said to be towing. This is faster than if it had been running on its own as the lead car had a hole in the air.
The two things seem contradictory to me. Does the “tow” effect only occur at a straight point in the speedway? I usually referenced indie during a training session for a race. Could you please explain in detail? Is the air dirty, but will the faster or cleaner air slower? I was confused. thank you.
Alan in Columbus, Ohio
MP: Great question. Corner vs. straight. In a straight line, you’re pushed into the back of the car and use holes to punch the air to cut through the air more easily – you can drive at top speed without using full throttle and maximum fuel burns, just like when chasing behind a large truck on the highway.
However, when you reach the corner depending on your downforce level, you want to bring out clean air, especially the front wings and, if possible, the entire car, to restore downforce and aero stability. Run as long as possible with tow for maximum speed and fuel saving benefits, and pop out when you need clean air. This is concentrated and not the “dirty” buffet air that spills out of the car first.
If you’re looking at F1, consider this, such as activating or deactivating DRS. Use the aero benefits whenever possible, but if you need the car to do something dynamic that enters the brake zone, shut it down and take advantage of full downforce.
Q: Schumacher, Vettel, Hamilton and Verstappen all had long-term teammates in the title year. My teammates always finished in the top four of the championship. There was one exception to Sergio Perez in 2024, finishing in eighth place with the car that won nine races.
I understand that I think I want a veteran driver for my new team, but I feel that hiring Perez over Kevin Magnussen doesn’t help the Cadillac F1 recognition. Is there anything you missed here? Also, do you stand on the argument of “Is the second Red Bull seat a good seat?”
Will, Indy
Chris Medland: Once you say there’s nothing there, Will-Perez is also the only driver to finish the runner-up in the Red Bull Championship, and in 2023 the only one came in the driver’s championship.
Just seeing what Perez did before Red Bull and making sure he’s a very solid hand, that Red Bull experience – the team that won the championship – and the latter part is a very small number. I think that if K-Mag had been interested, he would have done a great job for Cadillac, but Cadillac wants recent experience with the biggest team based on his own plans.
It all tied to your second question, no, I don’t think the second Red Bull seats are good seats. I think the team really lost their way in the design and development of the cars. Having a wide sample set of Perez, Lawson and Hornada, the latter two found a moment of sparkle in the Racing Bulls.
One of the key targets of the Laurent Mekies is that two cars are likely to drive hard, and that’s not a quick fix as it is likely that it will require design changes, and perhaps even engineering.
Q: I wrote a while ago about drivers and crews who weren’t paying attention when a faster car approaches during qualifying. F1 responded with an excellent suggestion to return the timing line. Unfortunately, the powers in F1 do not implement your proposal. They also do not use fines or grid penalties to discourage drivers from paying attention while they are on the cooldown lap.
At this point, my suggestion is if the driver or team doesn’t‘T is paying attention to the car behind him (as Russell did last weekend when Alonso almost gathered to enter the pit), saying the driver must race in a mirror three times the standard mirror. This is similar to wearing scar-colored lettering and will probably stop ruining other drivers‘ A dangerous collision with a lap during qualifying. But this is not the main reason I am writing to you.
My comments this week have something to do with the poor performance of race stewards. Don’t make a decision (e.g., Hamilton didn’t do that).‘In my view, slow down under yellow before the start until the race is unacceptable. Why do race fans question the outcome? Also, the decision to punish Sainz for 10 seconds and driver‘ I don’t understand the point of what looks like a race incident.
Perhaps you need to plunder all the stewards and replace them with AI. Given today’s technology, it appears that such programs could be written to incorporate current rulebooks and allowed to factorize into driver inputs. Steering, brakes and throttle controls to make the right decision in Mari seconds. The decisions that the AI program has reached must be transparent to explain how and why the arbitration was achieved. Using AI in this way can go a long way in improving the decision-making process and removing human elements (and biases) from the equation. Also, the fans didn’t do it‘T should wonder whether racial outcomes are ultimately pending future decisions.
David
CM: Thank you for the kind words on the timing line, but I can’t take credit for someone else in the past flagged me and asked why F1 doesn’t do that! But likewise, it’s not as if the sport rejected it. To be honest, I don’t know if the FIA has ever had a deep discussion about it.
It may be a little earlier for AI to make decisions regarding penalties. Even if you could make a call, each scenario is different and it is still controversial as external factors can play parts that may not be part of programming. What seems so clear in the letter of law may actually be less than that – the Carlos Sainz case is a prime example.
Based on how the rules were written, the penalty was spot-on. Sainz didn’t have enough cars with Lawson (again, based on what the driving guidelines state). He should know that, and therefore he cannot maintain his nose in the hopes of leaving the room and avoiding punishment if there is a collision.
It all agrees that it’s a race incident, or the worst five-second penalty. The contact is very light, it’s a corner where you can stay together, giving the camber the opportunity to accelerate outside at your exit. Sainz was close to it, so I could understand that he was trying it. However, the rules are written, so AI must follow them. That’s a penalty.
The Hamilton incident was also bothering me at the time, but the steward later explained that he had requested all the telemetry data from the team. I think it should have been clear based on what is already available, and at least the steward should provide an explanation as to why the investigation remains until after the race.
What really frustrated me was that the incident between Russell and Leclair was delayed until after the race. It is inconsistent when the driver is allowed to have a say. Sainz, for example, was very eager to talk to the steward, but he had no chance to give his side as he had already been punished.
Stewards are practically intended to be experienced judges and should make decisions at the moment based on knowledge and understanding. In other sports, ask for explanations from players before deciding why a foul was committed and whether the player will be punished.
Sign was punished before he had the opportunity to make his point in front of the steward. Joe Portlock/Getty Images
Q: I have lots of questions about Cadillac last week‘S News, Start with the driver lineup. My trend is to lightly choose two retreads as drivers. Obviously, the caddy needed one experienced hand, but not‘Would they better give a second seat to a hot prospect? But it raises another question: Does Cadillac have any access to the hot outlook? There is no “Cadillac Academy” and most promising people are signed by other teams.
Leonardo Fornaroli, the current F2 leader, is a unicorn with no connection to anyone. ‘23 Champ Theo Pourchaire doesn’t have any bonds yet. Something like Mick Schumacher is not “next time.” So where does Cadillac go to prospects? Next season, we will need a spare driver or a test driver, but who is it? Who will appear in the postseason tests in Abu Dhabi? Do you want to start an academy? Also, if you want to test your driver without a previous car, how will your previous car be tested?
Is Colin Herta an impulse from Cadillac itself or Dan Towriss and TWG Motorsports? Why is it a better move than asking for a super license exemption from the FIA? The IndyCar season is over and nine F1 races have left Allen‘t? Is there an opportunity for the FP1 test?
Bigger Question: Who actually controls the Cadillac F1? Does GM have a majority ownership? Does Towriss still have some of the action? Does TWG run the team under a contract with GM or is there any other arrangements?
Al, Boston, MA
CM: There are a lot of good questions here. No, I don’t think it would be better for Cadillac to give a second seat to hot prospects. This means that when building a new team from scratch, you need to give drivers time to develop, and focus on resources and that.
If that hot prospect doesn’t work, is it because they’re not that good? Is it because they have no experience? Or is it for the car and team? All of these answers disappear in two experienced and well-known amounts. If one does not run to the other level, you know it depends on the driver. And if both are struggling, you know it’s a car. The variable has been deleted.
Haas is a great example. The first year was Roman Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez, but Gutierrez had little experience, and in the second year they signed the two experienced drivers to help the team move forward. Neither of them always work great, but if the other isn’t, one is likely to work, and that gives you direction.
For race driver prospects, Cadillac spoke to all of the above (except for the Forna Loli) – anyone with experience with Formula 1 teams, even if they’re not racing. And all those rookies would have been easily signed. For example, seeing Jak Crawford, a candidate for the F2 title, his current contract with Aston Martin was running until the end of the year.
If a good young driver already has a race seat, the Cadillac (and other teams) can ask about availability of whether it wants, and most teams will not get in the way of drivers getting a race opportunity. We may keep some links, but let’s take a look at the servoir signing Gabriel Boltreto, who was on the McLaren program. Without the McLaren race seat, they never blocked that movement.
You might start an academy, but not for a few years as you need to prioritize building a core team first. However, you can drive your previous car. Cadillac can buy one from a rival team and run if the team sells. There are quite a few older F1 cars to buy, but the more recent cars are better.
Starting in 2026, teams will be allowed to run 2025 cars on the TPC, as the rules are very different. For example, you might try to buy one of the cars of the year from power unit supplier Ferrari.
As I understand it, the impulses around Colton Hertha come from Dan Touris and TWG, who have supported Hertha for much of his career so far. He doesn’t qualify for the exemption – he may only get it with 39 points – because otherwise the entire system will fall apart if the FIA simply chooses someone who doesn’t follow the standards and should not be granted a super license.
Also, because of their competitiveness, teams don’t abandon multiple FP1s to drivers, so they have three sprints in the final nine rounds and cannot give FP1s. Baku, Singapore and Vegas are street venues that work very hard to not give up on FP1, which could potentially bring down race drivers (and only Mexico City, Abu Dhabi remained as an option, with the team already having their own plans for those sessions.
However, Hertha will be able to run multiple FP1s for Cadillac next season. This is because you need to run your rookie in four times to get very close to a super license if necessary. F2 interest is not guaranteed, but it is a path TWG has explored.
When it comes to team control, as I understand, the team has joint ownership with TWG holding the majority. It is said to be effectively a TWG and a third of GM, but GM has the power to reject decisions at the board level for the team that holds the name Cadillac.
That’s not an unusual setup. Mercedes’ Formula One team was split equally in three ways, for example, Daimler, Totowolf and Ineos.
Q: I know this is a stupid idea, but there’s nothing worse than what NASCAR has done over the years since the playoff system was introduced. I would like to abolish stage races and green white checkers and playoff nonsense. And what I think is to have the “Championship Sunday” in Charlotte as the end of the season. It’s all in one day and has trucks, Xfinity and Cups. Invitation to Cream Only for Crop:
The old fashioned method (the consistency of its rewards) brings the top nine points earner in the whole year, throwing a “last chance” B-Main Heat to any team that has won a race that season, and the winner advances. Each series then holds a 25-lap trophy dash to determine the season champion.
All three series resolve each championship on the same day on the same track (as well as collisions and All-Star races) that is the winner only – 10 vehicles in each Championship Trophy Dash. There are no other teams on the track along the way… an old-fashioned Saturday night race.
In fact, do it under the lights on a Saturday night. Do you want to get your fans engaged and get back? Try it… I mean they tried shit near everything else.
Blood in Seattle, Washington
Kelly Krandoall: The invitation-only concept is suitable for collisions and All-Star race events, but not found in championship events. NASCAR fans want to see drivers compete and watch races during the season. There were still victory to compete for, and even when the championship was at stake, the sport always had its entire field on the track. If you want an old-fashioned Saturday night race, you’ll need to find a way for NASCAR to make it happen during the season. But I agree that there are often fewer. After the regular season, top 10 or 12 drivers became championship contenders, they said they wanted to see top 10 or 12 drivers. Therefore, remove the “Win And You’re In” concept.
Q: Can you explain to Mark Glendening about his obsession with Truli? thank you!
Gino U., Springfield, Michigan
Mark Glendening: I know that looks Like Truli’s obsession, but I promise not. When I covered Formula 1, I interviewed him regularly and he was always very polite and kind, but I didn’t pretend to know him and didn’t like him more than the other drivers.
Trulli/MailBag is actually back in Robin Miller’s days of MailBag, along with pictures of Nigel Mansell. That was one of the times I had a letter page about the same thing for three weeks in a row and I completely ran out of related photos. I hopelessly started typing random words into my image search. One of them was a “horse,” riding a horse and returning a shot of Munsell. Most people look a bit ridiculous when sitting on a horse, even the world champion of Mastachio when sitting on a horse.
Robin thought it was funny, so after that every time I was stuck in a photo in my mailbag, I started looking for a shot of a driver doing something strange. And over time it began to strike me that an unbalanced number was characterized by Truli. No matter how odd it may be, there was clearly no request for the photo that the people in PR on his team were unable to tell him. We ate livestock that raises jarnos. Yano pretends to drive a train. Pretending to drive a boat with the captain’s hat. Jarno inspects car production lines. Jarno inspects several different boats. Jarno is filming “lifestyle” with his parents. The list continues. It’s amazing that I’m still discovering something new all this time.
And yes, I know that Robin is gone, I’m probably the only person I think they’re funny.
The final words
September 3, 2014, from Robin Miller’s mail bag
Q: I’m a little surprised that there’s no mention of what happened at this year’s Belgian Grand Prix. (ed: Nico Rosberg created what was suspected of being intentional contact with Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton on lap 2). I know people tried to solve the scores on NASCAR (the main thing that comes to mind was the Bodine brothers at Brickyard), but I really don’t remember anything similar on the open wheel. Given the speed and relative protection, such movements can be devastating. So the question is, do you remember the boiling competition at the point of destruction of people in IndyCar? Plus, do you want to come in about fourth place and drop that wing section into your knee?
Don Hopings, Corning, NY
Robin Miller: I think there’s been a lot of reward over the years at IndyCar races at street circuits and slow corners, but I can’t remember that everyone intentionally took someone with them in an oval shape. Mario went under AJ and Roy Dolby’s skin early in several clashes, but it was a more aggressive race than personal one. Clearly, the tough call to race control these days is that it’s not a close quarterly race, but malicious, intentional or avoidable. Therefore, a drive-through penalty is usually a penalty.
