Indycar News & Rumors.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Shame Indycar doesn't get big exposure over here. If only they could get a top GP star in the series

I'm not sure much would change - other than it being a short flash in the pan for UK audiences. There is already a healthy representation of drivers who have been in F1 (I'm assuming that is what you mean by GP) competing in the series, and the UK has been represented regularly - but UK audiences on the whole are not interested.

For the majority of UK TV audiences, there are three types of racing:
F1 - everything else open-wheel is seen as less important.
BTCC - everything else with a roof is too long/lacks characters/lower quality.
Rallying - cars look impressive for a few moments, but when they realise the only way to keep track of the action is through timing screens, and there is no wheel-to-wheel action, it gets repetitive to watch.

Trying to get UK TV audiences interested in yet another form of Motorsport is difficult enough - add into that the fact that it is a foreign series, looks like F1 and is not forward looking in terms of technology and your potential audience is very limited. It's hard enough to retain enough enthusiasm for F1 alone; diluting the mainstream TV market would hinder, rather then enhance, the Motorsport offering in the UK I feel.

[NaBUru38]

In Hispanic America, IndyCar airs on video streaming service Claro Video. It's only available for Claro phone users, and it requires an extra season pass. I tried to buy it last year and the website failed...

[S griffin]

Online watching is not for everyone. But at least it’s better than no Indycar coverage. Hope you sort the website issues out

[HighParker]

Originally Posted by rwintle

From my perspective, that might be the best outcome. No disrespect to the eSports community, but I'm not sure such a facility is really needed in Toronto at this point - and if it is, I'd rather see it built somewhere else (he said in his best selfish-motorsport-fan voice).

The province of Ontario has apparently been pondering plans for the last two or three years regarding what will happen just across the road at Ontario Place, and it could also involve Exhibition Place, if the only plan anyone has seen is realistic and has the money behind it. If the trade centre was to be expanded out to be almost beside the football stadium, and the parking lot that's used for the vendor (Thunder Alley) area, support races paddock, etc., gets turned into underground parking with buildings and other things on top of it, there might not be much room left for the race.
https://theperfectcity.ca/wp-content...March-2019.pdf
Supposedly "the province will be sharing more news in the spring about plans for the redevelopment".

[NaBUru38]

Hélio Castroneves spoke about his third Indy 500 win.


https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/n...0-win/5672454/

[bjohnsonsmith]

A second season of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, will start Thursday, March 18.

I quite enjoyed last year's races, so looking forward to this season before the actual IndyCar season starts at Barber.

https://racer.com/2021/03/11/indycar...urns-march-18/

[broadrun96]

The car I remember as Rick Mears, the Pennzoil Yellow Submarine, returns to Indy in 2022 with Scott Mclaughlin behind the wheel.

https://racer.com/2021/03/31/the-yel...a-new-captain/

Yes, I realize it's been older than that and famous as a Chaparral with Rutherford and more recent but for me it's Mears coming home from the town Memorial Day parade with belly full of cheap hot dogs and Acme sodas.

[NaBUru38]

It looks better than Newgarden's black and white car.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Testing is underway at TMS, with RH-R topping day 1.

https://racer.com/2021/03/30/hunter-...exas-speedway/


and Pato O'ward topping day 2


https://racer.com/2021/03/31/oward-t...dycar-testing/


RH-R's top speed of 222.442 mph (357.985 km/h), is up on Sato's pole from last year of 220.250 mph, (354.458 km/h)

[bjohnsonsmith]

According to this article, IndyCar will be increasing its global TV presence.


https://racer.com/2021/04/06/indycar...ence-for-2021/

[NaBUru38]

Last season I tried to watch IndyCar on Claro Video. It required a Claro phone service, so I borrowed my brother's account.

On top of that I has to buy an IndyCar season pass. I tried multiple times, but the transaction always failed.

Every day I miss IndyCar on ESPN with Andrés Agulla and Alex Pombo...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Open testing is underway at IMS, with the rookie/refresher session having already taken place.


https://racer.com/2021/04/09/speeds-...sumes-at-indy/

[jimclark]

Indy day 2 testing times:

Rank Car Driver Name C/E/T Time Speed Diff Gap Best Lap Total Laps

1 2 Newgarden, Josef D/C/F 00:39.6792 226.819 --.---- --.---- 60 121
2 30 Sato, Takuma D/H/F 00:39.7534 226.396 0.0742 0.0742 47 60
3 86 Montoya, Juan Pablo D/C/F 00:39.8013 226.123 0.1221 0.0479 43 68
4 9 Dixon, Scott D/H/F 00:39.8395 225.906 0.1603 0.0382 65 126
5 15 Rahal, Graham D/H/F 00:39.8859 225.644 0.2067 0.0464 40 157
6 47 Daly, Conor D/C/F 00:39.8868 225.639 0.2076 0.0009 119 137
7 12 Power, Will D/C/F 00:39.9112 225.501 0.2320 0.0244 51 162
8 60 Harvey, Jack D/H/F 00:39.9527 225.266 0.2735 0.0415 139 140
9 5 O'Ward, Pato D/C/F 00:39.9790 225.118 0.2998 0.0263 108 156
10 06 Castroneves, Helio D/H/F 00:39.9868 225.074 0.3076 0.0078 105 128
11 22 Pagenaud, Simon D/C/F 00:39.9999 225.001 0.3207 0.0131 104 184
12 28 Hunter-Reay, Ryan D/H/F 00:40.0091 224.949 0.3299 0.0092 119 134
13 26 Herta, Colton D/H/F 00:40.1422 224.203 0.4630 0.1331 42 164
14 20 Carpenter, Ed D/C/F 00:40.1524 224.146 0.4732 0.0102 144 146
15 10 Palou, Alex D/H/F 00:40.1545 224.134 0.4753 0.0021 20 112
16 7 Rosenqvist, Felix D/C/F 00:40.1835 223.973 0.5043 0.0290 112 126
17 18 Jones, Ed D/H/F 00:40.1956 223.905 0.5164 0.0121 15 104
18 3 McLaughlin, Scott (R) D/C/F 00:40.2131 223.808 0.5339 0.0175 151 195
19 27 Rossi, Alexander D/H/F 00:40.2440 223.636 0.5648 0.0309 117 136
20 45 Ferrucci, Santino D/H/F 00:40.2650 223.519 0.5858 0.0210 85 137
21 16 De Silvestro, Simona D/C/F 00:40.2760 223.458 0.5968 0.0110 50 92
22 29 Hinchcliffe, James D/H/F 00:40.2760 223.458 0.5968 0.0000 87 127
23 48 Kanaan, Tony D/H/F 00:40.3404 223.101 0.6612 0.0644 38 99
24 24 Karam, Sage D/C/F 00:40.3415 223.095 0.6623 0.0011 71 81
25 98 Andretti, Marco D/H/F 00:40.3923 222.815 0.7131 0.0508 113 138
26 14 Bourdais, Sebastien D/C/F 00:40.4263 222.627 0.7471 0.0340 119 125
27 59 Chilton, Max D/C/F 00:40.4935 222.258 0.8143 0.0672 3 114
28 8 Ericsson, Marcus D/H/F 00:40.5159 222.135 0.8367 0.0224 147 188
29 51 Fittipaldi, Pietro (R) D/H/F 00:40.5509 221.943 0.8717 0.0350 135 144
30 4 Kellett, Dalton D/C/F 00:40.8727 220.196 1.1935 0.3218 63 97
31 52 Ware, Cody (R) D/H/F 00:41.2017 218.438 1.5225 0.3290 25 58

[chunterer]

Thanks for posting this.

Go JPM!! 😁

[S griffin]

I echo that statement. Give it a good go Monty!