It is interesting to follow the opinions of Indy Car fans through the various blogs, poles and forums. Recently, an overload of concerns has been expressed on the subject of the desirable look of the future race car, at the time the Indy Racing League is accepting project concepts from race car builders. Some lessons can certainly be taken from what we read and should be treated as an element of consideration among others for the IRL to make decisions.
On one hand, the Indy Car Honda concept car presented some time ago in 2009 shows some characters that mix traditional lines with futuristic appendixes. Nevertheless, let’s remember that this is a non-engineered styling studio elaboration with some unrealistic features. On the other hand, the race car manufacturers such as Dallara, Lola and Swift did introduce a few days ago some aggressive styles that, in some cases, could be impractical or costly. Most of the styles are reminiscent of ‘Hot Wheels” and ‘Star War” looks, which has not grasped major interests among the public. Of all the projects presented so far, the Delta Wing car mockup produced by the association of some Indy Car teams might be the most advanced and engineered concept vehicle to date, yet represent such a drastic change from a race car look and general architecture that it seems to be rejected by the public as a potential Indy Car replacement.
In any case, and without adding any oil to some of the already burning fires of controversy, I believe that the public taste should be an important element of the direction race car designers need to take. After all, FIA and FOTA did reached fans to understand them better and the public did like it. Nevertheless, we also have to remind fans that race cars are not conceived in design studios as a stylistic exercise. These vehicles are fully engineered with all forms and parts justified by defined functions based on the two main principles of performance and safety. The final “look” of a race car is the consequence of various integrated options that have virtually showed to offer beneficial outcomes.
It seems that the Delta Wing project is an expression of the needs for change, and not only in the car look and architecture, but in the managing of car and parts production and cost control, as well as the need for a new direction in more competitive racing, essentially meaning more potential for passing as well as diversification in winning teams and drivers.
I believe the answer to these needs is in a well conceived definition by the IRL of the direction to take, based on properly defined engineering concepts and understandings that will naturally define a style, not a style creating a vehicle with compromises to be engineered. In various instances, sanctioning bodies have lacked in engineering principle knowledge, dealing mainly with mechanical senses and reactionary fear imposing conservative rules.
Maybe the new Indy Car concept has to start by the capacity of the series to define the directions to take from which race car constructors would present projects. And as much as I understand the reasons of a one car manufacturer in managing production cost, I strongly believe that a variety of designs – two would be better than one – would help draw some interests back from spectators. This would be true as well with more than one engine manufacturer.
Ultimately, spectators are motivated by diversity, routing for a complex combination of drivers, teams, owners, car manufacturers, engines and even race engineers as performance contributors, as it has been the case by the past and still true in Formula 1 with designers. NASCAR did put forward drivers, car numbers, teams, car manufacturers and crew chiefs. Today, these cars seem to be looking the same with a spec-like chassis and almost identical shapes. One major element of the variable combinations got lost and so some fans did desert the tracks.
Who would run to an ice cream parlor if only 2 tastes and one cup size were available?
