The RACER Mailbag, November 13
11/13/2024 05:23 AM
Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER's writers can be sent to mailbag@racer.com. We love hearing your comments and opinions, but letters that include a question are more likely to be published. Questions received after 3pm ET each Monday will be saved for the following week.
Q: Did you see this announcement about Honda’s new racing engine? Any idea where this engine will be used? Any chance this is for a new Liberty Media series in North America, and those are the engine regulations?
William Mazeo
MARSHALL PRUETT: I did. A cool hot-rodded Honda Civic and Acura RDX motor. I'd put my money on the little 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder being adopted as the new Indy NXT motor, replacing the AER-built Mazda 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder mill that went live in 2015 and has gone unbadged in recent years after Mazda exited junior open-wheel racing.
The Honda-to-NXT angle has been pitched many times and rejected, but if Honda Racing Corporation U.S. decides to stay in IndyCar after its contract is up following 2026, I'm guessing this move — one that would be a positive income generator for the brand — would be part of a new contract. I say that because if I was negotiating with Penske Entertainment to continue, that's the hand I'd play to get motor sales and motor support deals included with Penske's NXT series.
As for a Liberty Media series that doesn't exist and has no regulations, I'm feeling like the new 300-600hp engines would also be a great candidate for such things, but those things need to first become real.
Q: I saw the story about how Lola wants to step up its expansion after coming back from bankruptcy. Interestingly, it is collaborating with Yamaha in Formula E and their aim seems to be electrification, hydrogen and sustainable fuels and materials.
This may not be a perfect match, but with electrification (with hybrid engines in IndyCar) and perhaps a possibility of sustainable fuel as a future goal, IndyCar should court Lola and, as an extension, Yamaha as an engine supplier for IndyCar. This leads IndyCar into a situation where once again multiple chassis can be in play, and we have the third engine supplier that IndyCar desperately needs to lead the series into future.
Some in IndyCar circles might scoff at Yamaha as an engine supplier, but they have a long history of supplying engines in F1 with teams like Tyrell and few others in the past 30-40 years.
I hope you can pass along to IndyCar so the appropriate people can perhaps explore this as an option.
Shyam
MP: IndyCar reads the Mailbag each week, so the passing along happens on its own. The owner of Lola is all kinds of awesome and has a huge passion for the brand and its history, including IndyCar, which was the centerpiece for Lola's global achievements for decades. Unfortunately, there's no anticipation of IndyCar looking anywhere beyond its official chassis partners at Dallara to create the next car, or the car after that.
And who wouldn't love to have Yamaha involved? Nice throwback livery to consider as well, for my late friend and hero Dan Gurney.
Q: I just read that Roger Penske felt that this was one of his team's best seasons ever. Considering that team Penske got caught cheating in three series, isn't it a bit arrogant of Penske to say how good 2024 was? Is he that unaware of what cheating is? To be fair, I am not a Roger fan at all.
Paul, Indianapolis
MP: Fake news, Paul, fake news.
Q: For the upcoming Thermal IndyCar test, and offseason tests in general, how do teams decide which chassis to use, i.e.; oldest street/road course tub? Highest mileage chassis?
Do the engine suppliers send teams engines in advance so they can arrive with a fully completed racecar? And does the mileage accumulated during a test count towards regular season engine rules?
Do the teams show up with fully liveried racecars, i.e.; major current sponsor wrap?. And do they have numbers and the current test drivers names on them? As I'm guessing the chassis are stripped clean following season's end.
Tom Harader, Florence, OR
MP: Teams tend to take their best cars, not their most worn cars, since they're seeking the highest quality of data. Once teams return home from the final race, all cars are torn down and comprehensive rebuilds take place. If a team has a used car from the September 15 race at Nashville Speedway sitting untouched today, they suck.
Yes, teams receive engines at their shops before races and tests so they can build complete cars in controlled environments. Since the last season is over and the new season hasn't started since it's still 2024, there are no mileage rules affiliated with 2024 or 2025. That will change once we get into 2025 when the calendar starts for the new season.
On the last block of questions, there's lots of 'how long is a piece of string?' items. It varies per team. Some yes, some no.
Q: I always thought IndyCar would be better with two chassis: one for road courses/short ovals, another one for superspeedways. So I’ve been wondering… Is that possible to achieve now? They’d design one for road courses, as light as it can be. And keep the DW12 or whatever it’s called now for the high-speed ovals. Of course that would mean no hybrids on these tracks then (if the next car is made with that in mind). Give it a new aero, and go racing.
William Mazeo
MP: It's the perfect scenario for if and when IndyCar becomes significantly profitable for its team owners. But for where we are today, costs are the single biggest concerns for the majority of those owners, which makes doubling car costs a non-starter. An idea that's ahead of its time.
