The 2012 IndyCar Series thread

[mario]

as a true Indy500 fan and 90's era purist, the idea of 34 car grids horrifies me, but at least it isn't 1997
my only gripe is that they won't be testing in Indianapolis for the first session of practice in May. they are setting up for failure. do they refuse to test on ovals or something?

If you're referring to the Lotus engined teams specifically, that is because Lotus have been unable to provide enough engines for testing to take place. The sale of Proton to DRB-Hicom meant that all of Proton's spending - as well as the spending of its subsidiaries, like Group Lotus - were effectively put on hold whilst the sale went through, so Lotus effectively had to put their engine program on ice.
Add that to what was already a relatively late start, plus two late engine changes ahead of the race in St Petersburg, and the net result is that Lotus has exhausted its current stock of engines and can't build new ones in time for the upcoming test session. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98567

[CoopsII]

I don't know what to make of it though.

Its Alesi in a ridiculously fast car. Thats all I need to know.

[nome66]

he should just bring his '95 ferrari for hahas

off topic but not really::

Mazda should enter next year with a 4-rotor or 3-rotor turbo.
just sayin'.

[Faustus]

as a true Indy500 fan and 90's era purist, the idea of 34 car grids horrifies me, but at least it isn't 1997
my only gripe is that they won't be testing in Indianapolis for the first session of practice in May. they are setting up for failure. do they refuse to test on ovals or something?

If you're referring to the Lotus engined teams specifically, that is because Lotus have been unable to provide enough engines for testing to take place. The sale of Proton to DRB-Hicom meant that all of Proton's spending - as well as the spending of its subsidiaries, like Group Lotus - were effectively put on hold whilst the sale went through, so Lotus effectively had to put their engine program on ice.
Add that to what was already a relatively late start, plus two late engine changes ahead of the race in St Petersburg, and the net result is that Lotus has exhausted its current stock of engines and can't build new ones in time for the upcoming test session. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98567

This Alesi business is a joke. It basically means that Lotus is deliberately holding back engines for Alesi and not fulfilling their commitment to the full-time entries and the series. Supplying only 4 cars is a joke and it's because of idiotic business decisions like these that teams like Conquest Racing were driven out of the series and that teams that have the chassis, money and willingness to run extra cars, like Bryan Herta Autosport and Dreyer & Reinbold, are unable to do so.

[Faustus]

Solid race so far. These cars race well against one another.

They do, don't they? Pretty good race, I thought. Let's just hope that the cars will look better when (eventually) the different aero kits are allowed.

[Wizzie]

Beatriz to do 2 races for Andretti

[Wizzie]

I'm not sure if it's been posted here yet but Alesi's racing at Indy with Newman/Haas Racing

[nome66]

He's taken the path of the great Mansellsaurus

[dinizintheoven]

So, will he grow a huge moustache and moan about everything under the sun in a dreary, monotone voice?

[Sublime_FA11C]

So, will he grow a huge moustache and moan about everything under the sun in a dreary, monotone voice?

http://jean-alesi.com/en/
He actually looks quite good. As a man i have to tread carefully but i'd even say it's quite a sexy look for a man with a fair share of gray hairs. As for Mansnail, he rocked a moustache much better than the average man would, but he seems to have gotten rid of it now.

[JeremyMcClean]

So, will he grow a huge moustache and moan about everything under the sun in a dreary, monotone voice?

http://jean-alesi.com/en/
He actually looks quite good. As a man i have to tread carefully but i'd even say it's quite a sexy look for a man with a fair share of gray hairs. As for Mansnail, he rocked a moustache much better than the average man would, but he seems to have gotten rid of it now.

Just a minor thing but they spelt Formula 1 as Formule 1... no comment

[Pointrox]

Just a minor thing but they spelt Formula 1 as Formule 1... no comment

That's the French spelling. And Jean Alesi is French. Go figure

[JeremyMcClean]

Just a minor thing but they spelt Formula 1 as Formule 1... no comment

That's the French spelling. And Jean Alesi is French. Go figure

You're talking to the person who barely passed French class in Grade 9!
Mandatory only in Canada.

[nome66]

them dang quebecians lol

[Pointrox]

Anyway, back on topic. Shall we?
Rubens will be given some help: http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/Apr ... -time.aspx
I must say that it's a good idea, but one must wonder why he wasn't assigned a rookie status before the season started...

[Sublime_FA11C]

...one must wonder why he wasn't assigned a rookie status before the season started...

It would tear a hole in reality? He's had 94297411348220986 race starts and he could only be a rookie if Bionicle Bernie travels back through time to take him back to the future so they can join the terminator F1 series.

Representing humanity come Judgement RaceDay. And moaning the day after...

[East Londoner]

And we think F1 is bad with penalties...

[nome66]

i don't understand that penalty at all. i thought it would be something like a horsepower issue.
"Veni Vidi Vici" per say. they shouldn't penalize drivers for something that is the fault of the engine designer anyways

[Wizzie]

Epic fail doesn't even come close to describing this

[Pointrox]

i don't understand that penalty at all. i thought it would be something like a horsepower issue.
"Veni Vidi Vici" per say. they shouldn't penalize drivers for something that is the fault of the engine designer anyways

Word.

[Dj_bereta]

Epic fail doesn't even come close to describing this

Unbeatable ROTR for long beach.

[Wizzie]

Epic fail doesn't even come close to describing this

Unbeatable ROTR for long beach.

Nah, they've got some competition now.

It's a sad day when LOTUS are the only ones not being incompetent fools

[Sublime_FA11C]

"...However AUTOSPORT understands that at least one rival manufacturer has protested the system..."

There's only Chevy and Lotus. I wonder which one went complaining...

[Cynon]

"...However AUTOSPORT understands that at least one rival manufacturer has protested the system..."

There's only Chevy and Lotus. I wonder which one went complaining...

Probably the one in NASCAR.

Epic fail doesn't even come close to describing this

Don't build engines that fall apart before they're supposed to. Lesson of the day.

[dr-baker]

"...However AUTOSPORT understands that at least one rival manufacturer has protested the system..."

There's only Chevy and Lotus. I wonder which one went complaining...

Probably the one in NASCAR.

Lotus have entered NASCAR now? News to me, although it doesn't surprise me...

[Waris]

So are all Honda powered cars getting a 10 place grid penalty too now?

And a little off topic, I noticed Barrichello's car is sponsored by Hyundai... Does that mean anything?

[Yannick]

That grid penalty rule is crap. How are theygoing to explain this to their American viewership which has been decreasing in numbers ever since the so-called split?

[Sublime_FA11C]

That grid penalty rule is crap. How are theygoing to explain this to their American viewership which has been decreasing in numbers ever since the so-called split?

As controversy this is lame. The crowd wont care for the explanation and the decision is just ... brainless? Why would it make sense to punish so many contestants when absolutely none of them actually cheated? If they are to be punished for a technicality, why not allow the other teams a bonus engine change and have a level playing field. No bullshit, no nonsense, no way!

[Klon]

If Lotus for some reason needs to change engines as well, it would completely cancel out all penalties. That would be so bloody hilarious!

[Wizzie]

If Lotus for some reason needs to change engines as well, it would completely cancel out all penalties. That would be so bloody hilarious!

Turns out the Honda guys didn't get penalties (Presumably because they didn't have to change the entire engine) and there are three Lotus drivers with 10 place grid penalties. Which reminds me, anyone wanna have a shot at sorting out the grid?

[Cynon]

That grid penalty rule is crap. How are theygoing to explain this to their American viewership which has been decreasing in numbers ever since the so-called split?

Chevy decided to change the engines in all of their cars after they had one fail in testing.

As a result, all the Chevy cars ran afoul of a rule that is in place to prevent costs from skyrocketing and took a 10 place grid penalty.

Many of the drivers are now saying the race could be very eventful. Chevrolet has nobody to blame but themselves really.

To anyone who thinks a grid penalty at Long Beach is a death sentence, Paul Tracy won the race from 17th on the grid once (I think it was 2001), and Michael Andretti I believe scored a podium from 18th or 19th or something like that. Didn't John Watson win the F1 GP at Long Beach from last place as well?

Besides, in IndyCar, qualifying is not as critical.

The only problem is that it basically gave Dario Franchitti (who I've heard referred to as Dario Francheatti in a few different forums as a result of his shenanigans in the past two years) a pole position. But it put Newgarden on the front row, and if there was a Most Popular Team Award, Sarah Fisher's team would be a serious contender for it.

I'd sort out the grid if I knew for sure what the precedence for penalties is (in F1 I know grid penalties are given in chronological order), and if I didn't have a paper to write at the moment. :\


Also, the City of Chicago's bid to get an IndyCar race may finally pay off after many years (they've tried unsuccessfully to get a street race after the CART race in Cicero died). I've heard rumors that Randy Bernard approached the City of Chicago about an IndyCar race in the streets....

NEXT YEAR



If anyone knows what Chicago's roads are like, imagine the Vancouver potholes and the San Jose GP. Needless to say, if that race happens, I'm going, and hopefully take a bunch of photos.

[dr-baker]

If anyone knows what Chicago's roads are like, imagine the Vancouver potholes and the San Jose GP. Needless to say, if that race happens, I'm going, and hopefully take a bunch of photos.

I don't remember Vancouver's roads being too bad when I was there a couple of years ago. But then, that's probably because I'm used to British roads...

[Cynon]

What the bathplug was that Dario?!

[Cynon]

Get out Dallara. Just get out.

[dr-baker]

What was what? I just got in and I don't have Sky Sports! But I probably won't find out till morning anyway when I read about it on Autosport!

[Cynon]

What was what? I just got in and I don't have Sky Sports! But I probably won't find out till morning anyway when I read about it on Autosport!

Dario punted Newgarden in turn 1 because he realized he was getting passed on the outside by a rookie. Michael Schumacher would have been impressed.

[Shadaza]

ROTR the commentators so far, calling Sato foolish for pitting behind the safety car only to be amazed when it turns out those that the rest of the field that didn't pit couldn't pull a 30+ second gap in 5 laps of racing before they needed to refuel. *head in hands*

[dr-baker]

What was what? I just got in and I don't have Sky Sports! But I probably won't find out till morning anyway when I read about it on Autosport!

Dario punted Newgarden in turn 1 because he realized he was getting passed on the outside by a rookie. Michael Schumacher would have been impressed.

Ahh OK. Does sound stupid.

[Cynon]

ROTR the commentators so far, calling Sato foolish for pitting behind the safety car only to be amazed when it turns out those that the rest of the field that didn't pit couldn't pull a 30+ second gap in 5 laps of racing before they needed to refuel. *head in hands*

I'd give ROTR to Dario for driving like he did in 1998.

Looks like the race is Sato's to lose, though.

[RealRacingRoots]

Takuma Sato...