Indycar News & Rumors.

[S griffin]

Let’s hope they both engines have a trouble free test and therefore are able to have more time to sort out the engine performance

[rwintle]

Just saw this now - Rossi's 2022 livery blends NAPA and Autonation, rather than having two separate liveries for different events. Blue + yellow + pink + gray... what do you all think? Cool? Trainwreck?

I'm kind of tending towards the latter, although I get the marketing reasons.

https://twitter.com/FollowAndretti/s...11439604535301

[FIRE]

Looks pretty good.

[NaBUru38]

Not as bad as I expected.

[S griffin]

It’s a great looker that livery

[HighParker]

The plan for a new hotel and entertainment complex that would take up some of the present infield area of the track at Exhibition Place in Toronto, as mentioned here a year ago,
https://tentenths.com/forum/showpost...postcount=5419

now seems to be moving forward if Live Nation is actually becoming involved as a recent article suggests.
https://www.thestar.com/sports/2022/...n-october.html

If continuing the race at Exhibition Place became impossible, probably like a lot of others I've always thought Toronto Island Airport might be a good place for a temporary race track, although I'm guessing it's likely not a realistic or practical notion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_...o_City_Airport

[broadrun96]

It appears the rest of the world will have Indy but Canada was not mentioned

https://racer.com/2022/02/22/indycar...ands-for-2022/

[NaBUru38]

Good news: the failed Claro Video PPV is gone.


Bad news: it seems that ESPN Latin America will air most races (possibly all) on the Star+ streaming service, which costs US$ 13 per month (the combo with Disney+ is US$ 17.50). That's 7-9 hours of minimum wage in Uruguay.

[HighParker]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

It appears the rest of the world will have Indy but Canada was not mentioned
https://racer.com/2022/02/22/indycar...ands-for-2022/

Maybe it was updated since you first saw it? It says "Sportsnet in Canada, ... are also among broadcasters for the 2022 season."

[broadrun96]

I think it was, I remember NZ and S Africa mentioned but honestly I would have looked for Canada at the top of the list but that's on me

[S griffin]

Indycar has a global interest, it's no surprise so many countries have coverage for it. Even if it only competes in Canada and America. If only the series could go back to Oz

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by HighParker

The plan for a new hotel and entertainment complex that would take up some of the present infield area of the track at Exhibition Place in Toronto, as mentioned here a year ago,
https://tentenths.com/forum/showpost...postcount=5419

now seems to be moving forward if Live Nation is actually becoming involved as a recent article suggests.
https://www.thestar.com/sports/2022/...n-october.html

If continuing the race at Exhibition Place became impossible, probably like a lot of others I've always thought Toronto Island Airport might be a good place for a temporary race track, although I'm guessing it's likely not a realistic or practical notion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_...o_City_Airport

Ugh. That could be bad news.

The island airport is a fun idea but pretty sure it would never happen. It's an active international airport that will never be shut down for any period of time. And too many logistical issues getting teams, equipment, and fans across to the island on a timely basis.

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by HighParker

Maybe it was updated since you first saw it? It says "Sportsnet in Canada, ... are also among broadcasters for the 2022 season."

I think this was a recent update as you say. Good news for us though!

[rwintle]

Hm - looking at the rendering again, the proposed new stadium/esports complex in Toronto looks to be immediately west of the existing Stanley Barracks building, in the parking lot, more or less where the Porsche and NASCAR paddocks have been in recent years. Shouldn't affect the track layout at all.

The hotel's kitty corner to it northwest-ish and probably attached(?), which lands itnear turn 11 somewhere on the infield side. Pretty sure planners won't let it impact the existing streets, which means the track layout should be ok?

Major problems I see are the surface parking, which like for the existing Hotel X won't be available to the new hotel during race weekend. Hotel X has historically let their patrons park under the Enercare Centre and access the hotel via tunnel, which is slightly irritating for people working the race weekend who can't use that tunnel for cross-track access, and might need to surface park outside the track, but not a huge deal.

Also problematic is outdoor paddock space, which will be eaten by the stadium. However, way back when, some support series were paddocked in the north part of the DEC (the annex I think it's called?) where the livestock is penned during the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. In 2010 I remember the historic cars were up that way (I think? It was a long time ago!). So there's indoor paddock space available. If NASCAR persists in keeping their race on Friday, that might help too, because they'll be cleared out and gone by Saturday morning.

Fun 'n games. I thought this thing was a pipe dream but it seems to have the approvals and some serious money behind it now.

[HighParker]

Originally Posted by rwintle

Hm - looking at the rendering again, the proposed new stadium/esports complex in Toronto looks to be immediately west of the existing Stanley Barracks building, in the parking lot, more or less where the Porsche and NASCAR paddocks have been in recent years. Shouldn't affect the track layout at all...

It probably wouldn't change the actual track layout, but as was mentioned here a year ago they might have to find some other place to put a grandstand or two for several thousand people, the food and other vendors, along with some paddock area for the non-IndyCar series. There is that parking lot on the west side of the circuit (turn 6-7) where there were grandstands back when the race attracted a much larger crowd, although I assume they would prefer to keep everything closer to the pit lane and trade centre where it has been in recent years.

I have no idea if the operators of the Island Airport would even be open to the idea of allowing it to be used for a race weekend. It's not exactly a hugely busy airport going by the relatively small number of arrivals and departures I see listed.
https://www.billybishopairport.com/flights/arrivals

Porter is the main user and they're about to start also using Pearson. Looking at the satellite image/map, the southern part of the airfield looks to be largely empty (except for a "ground run-up enclosure"). Maybe that area could used for main pit/paddock/spectator area, allowing for minimal disruption time for the main airport runway and terminal area to set up and tear down whatever barriers would needed there during the race weekend.
I assume vehicles used to run the airport, along with people, must somehow get there using the pedestrian tunnel and ferries (the short one over the tunnel or the one to Hanlan's Point), but I'm not sure if that would work for a crowd of 15,000 (or however many it is now) all leaving at the same time when the race ends.

[S griffin]

I can't see them changing the layout either, they are just improving the spectator facilities, which is probably the right thing. They haven't been touched in a while. Hopefully they will do a good job with it

[rwintle]

Originally Posted by HighParker

There is that parking lot on the west side of the circuit (turn 6-7) where there were grandstands back when the race attracted a much larger crowd, although I assume they would prefer to keep everything closer to the pit lane and trade centre where it has been in recent years.

Interesting idea - the IMS Productions trailers all park over there though (I believe back when you were talking about they were located outside the track to the west somewhere). The safety fencing is really sketchy over there too - it's all the old chain link, not the newer welded steel stuff that's in the spectator areas now.

Billy Bishop likely has fewer flights right now because of general COVID-related travel slowdowns. I think it's pretty busy under normal circumstances, isn't it?

[bjohnsonsmith]

IndyCar will delay the introduction of its hybrid engines until 2024, citing global supply chain issues.

https://racer.com/2022/03/03/indycar...ed-until-2024/

[S griffin]

That's probably sensible, gives them time to get those problems sorted obviously. What's the hurry anyway?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by S griffin

That's probably sensible, gives them time to get those problems sorted obviously. What's the hurry anyway?

There is no particular hurry but the current chassis is getting a bit long in the tooth, so it was hoped the new chassis would come on line, in 2024/25, ready for the hybrid engine.

[S griffin]

The chassis has definitely been there a long time, so maybe it is time for a change. Be interesting to see what happens with the new breed of cars in 2024

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by S griffin

The chassis has definitely been there a long time, so maybe it is time for a change. Be interesting to see what happens with the new breed of cars in 2024

It's not about, maybe it is time for a change. Despite the chassis being around since 2012, it was never designed to incorporate the Aeroscreen. It has literally been bolted on and has added an extra 60 pounds to the car's weight, as well as causing overheating in the cockpit. What is required is a bespoke chassis that incorporates the Aeroscreen.

Though it has been delayed, the hybrid engine is to be tested in the current chassis, which it was never designed for. However, testing will give designers and engineers an idea of how the engine will perform and how best to fit it in the new chassis.

[broadrun96]

Sadly, the numbers don't add up for most teams to really do what's needed, new chassis and engine together. I think we would see a drop, significant one, if they did both. But adding the aeroscreen weight AND the hybrid brings the chassis to an insane weight over design

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Sadly, the numbers don't add up for most teams to really do what's needed, new chassis and engine together. I think we would see a drop, significant one, if they did both. But adding the aeroscreen weight AND the hybrid brings the chassis to an insane weight over design

Neither is on the cards for the immediate future and as for the numbers, are there any predicted costs for the hybrid engine and the new chassis?

[broadrun96]

All I have seen is significant but far less than the new cars. Dallara has only laid up a few DW12s recently, most of the newer teams have bought older "extra" cars rather than new ones. Think Ganassi's guys mentioned a few of the cars were multiple seasons old and well used.

At the current pace without extending the DW12 the engines would be in for one season, or 2 or 3, and then the DW24(5, 6, 7 depending on build). The new chassis would replace a chassis that could compete in historic racing in 2023 but could have life left at the 500 as well. OK, yes the cars are expensive and they aren't extra engines out there but you get the point. The smaller teams would have continuous hits to the wallet to buy the Dallara mods to the DW12 but still likely less than a new chassis and spares. But I would expect one wreck and their season is done, why buy the boatload of spares when they're worth nothing in 6 months and remember there have been more than a few teams without ANY extra wings at Indy in the recent past and have used borrowed wings after damage