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IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:48 pm
by Asphalt_World
Wow. Huge crash on the opening lap of the Alabama GP. All seem OK though.

And by the way, why is F1 always so behind American racing when it comes to onboard camera technology?

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:52 pm
by Asphalt_World
Also, Grosjean qualified 7th and missed all the first lap issues as it was behind him.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 5:16 am
by Exediron
It was a solid debut for RoGro. IndyCars are not at all easy to drive, and he's been able to get up to something very close to the leading pace quite quickly. It'll be interesting to see where he's at by season end!

As a McLaren fan, I'm personally disappointed with the race result. But it was a solid piece of motorsport.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 8:16 am
by Tufty
The second time O'Ward has been in a position to fight for the win and hasn't pulled it off. That said, it's good that he's up there and fighting, even if things don't go his way.

Very impressed with Palou and Grosjean. Really begs the question how good a lot of the F1 midfield is given many, myself included, felt Romain was past it last year.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 9:18 am
by Steam Coat Hun
RoGro was alright, but super chuffed with Scott McLaughlin’s performance. Finishing 14th in his 2nd ever Open Wheel race.

This is one of the best Rookie classes the competition has seen in a long time

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:54 am
by Mort Canard
Palou put in a great drive. O'Ward did a very good job on the alternate three stop strategy but couldn't make it work.

I was pleased to see that RoGro had a good day and will be looking for good things out of him.

I very quickly got tired of all of the fuss being made over Jimmie Johnson. This is worse than all of the sensationalism that was made over Danica Patrick.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 5:00 pm
by pokerman
I watched the race and enjoyed it, it wasn't affected by SC's, I couldn't understand the O'Ward and Rossi strategy, looked like a losing strategy to me.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:42 pm
by Exediron
pokerman wrote:
Mon Apr 19, 2021 5:00 pm
I watched the race and enjoyed it, it wasn't affected by SC's, I couldn't understand the O'Ward and Rossi strategy, looked like a losing strategy to me.
And what do you know, it was! :o

it was particularly surprising to me, because a few years ago (I don't remember exactly which year) Rossi won this very same race by going for a two stop when everyone else did a three. He should have known the two stop was possible and much faster.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 8:19 pm
by pokerman
Exediron wrote:
Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:42 pm
pokerman wrote:
Mon Apr 19, 2021 5:00 pm
I watched the race and enjoyed it, it wasn't affected by SC's, I couldn't understand the O'Ward and Rossi strategy, looked like a losing strategy to me.
And what do you know, it was! :o

it was particularly surprising to me, because a few years ago (I don't remember exactly which year) Rossi won this very same race by going for a two stop when everyone else did a three. He should have known the two stop was possible and much faster.
I know what you mean it sounds a bit captain obvious, but after all the drivers had done their first stops I couldn't see how the 3 stop was going to work, I thought it must be some kind of SC strategy.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 11:26 am
by DOLOMITE
I'm not going to find time to watch Indy this year ( F1 & MotoGP, W series for me, son wants to add F2) but I'd like to , its an intriguing rookie line-up. I find the Jimmie Johnson decision curious. 20 career in NASCAR and THEN Indy?! But with ex F1'ers and Aussie Supercar champ it's great to see drivers going across disciplines.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 5:23 pm
by jimmyj
Today's race in St Petersburg is very entertaining so far. Romain seems to be struggling with the narrow streets but so far he is doing respectably.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 6:48 pm
by jimmyj
Just and observation. It is pretty amazing how the windscreen stopped Ryan Hunter-Reay from getting hit in the head by Newgarden's tire in the Alabama race. I wonder if the halo frame alone would have been adequate though as it occurred to me that had F1 used a windscreen, Grosjean's side exit from that terrible crash might not have been possible.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 6:53 pm
by Asphalt_World
Another great race. Indycar does seem to have cracked the regs of late. The cars look super quick but always on edge. They are not on rails like F1 cars and although this is one of the reasons F1 cars are quicker, it does mean that it looks like the driver is having to work a lot harder.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 7:49 pm
by Flash2k11
Was a good race, Herta is starting to look like he might just be a bit special. Rossi's year is over already, looks like he is trying too hard. With Power announcing a new multi year deal, do we think this is Pagenaud's last year at Penske?

Pato had another messy one though, SPAM need to get on top of the tyres. If they both stick around then O'Ward and Herta look like they are going to be the main rivals for the forseeable future.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 7:52 pm
by Flash2k11
Oh, and while JJ looks pretty lost, his very prescence in the series is only a good thing. Carvana getting all kinds of value for money too lol.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 12:47 pm
by pokerman
jimmyj wrote:
Sun Apr 25, 2021 6:48 pm
Just and observation. It is pretty amazing how the windscreen stopped Ryan Hunter-Reay from getting hit in the head by Newgarden's tire in the Alabama race. I wonder if the halo frame alone would have been adequate though as it occurred to me that had F1 used a windscreen, Grosjean's side exit from that terrible crash might not have been possible.
This is so obvious but are you the only one to have thought of this?

Surely Grosjean would have been burned alive, I guess with this in mind any proposals of the shield replacing the halo in F1 will get quickly shelved.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 1:06 pm
by pokerman
Unfortunately I missed the race, I knew it was on as I caught the last bit of practice 1, however my skybox goes faulty from time to time and the series record didn't work, I did catch the last 22 laps but I guess the race was all but over by then even though at that stage it was quite close between the top few cars.

There are calls from Mario Andretti, Herta of course races for Andretti Racing, for Colton Herta to get a seat in F1 especially with the announcement of a second F1 race being in America, the Miami GP. However the stipulation is for Herta to get a top drive which would stoke American interest in F1, which always seems to be the case for top American drivers, why should I leave a top seat in America for a midfield seat in F1.

However which top F1 team would take him on, how long will it take him to get up to speed given that even then he proves himself to be the real deal. Believe it or not there is kind of a pyramid system in F1 where you have to prove yourself in F1 first before getting a top seat but I guess that's often seen as too much of a gamble when you have such a good number in America.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 5:29 pm
by j man
pokerman wrote:
Mon Apr 26, 2021 1:06 pm
Unfortunately I missed the race, I knew it was on as I caught the last bit of practice 1, however my skybox goes faulty from time to time and the series record didn't work, I did catch the last 22 laps but I guess the race was all but over by then even though at that stage it was quite close between the top few cars.

There are calls from Mario Andretti, Herta of course races for Andretti Racing, for Colton Herta to get a seat in F1 especially with the announcement of a second F1 race being in America, the Miami GP. However the stipulation is for Herta to get a top drive which would stoke American interest in F1, which always seems to be the case for top American drivers, why should I leave a top seat in America for a midfield seat in F1.

However which top F1 team would take him on, how long will it take him to get up to speed given that even then he proves himself to be the real deal. Believe it or not there is kind of a pyramid system in F1 where you have to prove yourself in F1 first before getting a top seat but I guess that's often seen as too much of a gamble when you have such a good number in America.
Herta is definitely a talent, but the past record of drivers moving across from Indy is quite mixed, (and that is being diplomatic) and this means that the top teams would see it as too much of a risk.

Though if the forthcoming budget cap and other changes to close up the field have the desired effect, then a midfield seat may look more attractive in a few years' time. By then Herta could well be an Indy champion and might fancy a new challenge.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 5:40 pm
by Flash2k11
Herta is young enough to make the jump, but there has to be commitment from both sides. Right now he clearly is in a purple vein, and looks like he has the innate talent to compete at the top level, but as a fan of both, I don't see why he would bail on Indy so early when he looks like he is going to be the next big, big thing?

In F1 he is maybe getting a test at Williams at best to begin with, obviously thats a foot in the door, but it's the same conundrum Rossi had... why gherkin about in the also rans in F1 when you can be bertie big balls in your home series?

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 9:15 pm
by pokerman
Latest kind of usherings I hear about Herta is that in the recent past he's said that he's happy to drive for a midfield team in F1 for a year or two but there has to be a clear structure that leads him to driving for a top team.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:51 pm
by Remmirath
I can certainly see why Herta wouldn't want to get stuck in a midfield F1 team when he can challenge for IndyCar titles. You'd have to want to be in F1 a good deal more than more than IndyCar for that to sound like a decent trade. I think he might be quick enough to make it, but a top team would want to be sure before signing him, and there's still an idea (justified or not) that the IndyCar field is generally weaker than the F1 field. Personally I think that's probably true overall, with exceptions both ways.

Grosjean's doing pretty well; he's going to be skipping the Texas oval this weekend, so it'll be interesting to see how well he does when he gets back in the car for the Indy road course. I would expect him to do better at more traditional circuits than street courses, and of course he's not doing the ovals at all.

McLaren seem like they need to work on their strategies a bit; O'Ward could easily have won the first race of the season if they hadn't three-stopped, and the strategy for both cars didn't seem quite optimal last weekend either. But in most ways they do seem to have improved since last season, and O'Ward is looking quick.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sun May 02, 2021 8:34 pm
by Steam Coat Hun
Super proud of McLaughlin’s result in Texas. For a guy who’s barely raced in open wheel, and never on an oval, the result is awesome.

Him being in the sport has reinvigorated my love of this series

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 8:39 am
by Asphalt_World
Charles LeBrad wrote:
Sun May 02, 2021 8:34 pm
Super proud of McLaughlin’s result in Texas. For a guy who’s barely raced in open wheel, and never on an oval, the result is awesome.

Him being in the sport has reinvigorated my love of this series
Yeah, he's looking really good. Great race full stop. Very entertaining stuff.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 2:12 pm
by Tufty
The track surface didn't lend itself to good racing this weekend. And apparently part of the contract with TMS means no COTA, which is a huge shame in my view. But aside from that huge wreck at the start yesterday, it was a better couple of races than it perhaps should have been.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 5:45 pm
by Exediron
I'd love to see them flat-out boycott Texas Motor Speedway until they get rid of that NASCAR crap that's making the track into a one-lane oval. It's ridiculous that one series gets to lay something down that absolutely ruins the track for another top-flight category.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 1:59 am
by Tufty
Exediron wrote:
Mon May 03, 2021 5:45 pm
I'd love to see them flat-out boycott Texas Motor Speedway until they get rid of that NASCAR crap that's making the track into a one-lane oval. It's ridiculous that one series gets to lay something down that absolutely ruins the track for another top-flight category.
The cynic in me says the more Indy looks bad, the better NASCAR looks by comparison. It was suggested that while NASCAR and F1 publicly held no bias either way regarding The Split, they secretly celebrated what Tony George had done as it took a lot of power out of the increasingly popular and global behemoth that CART was becoming. F1 became, within the decade, the sole pinnacle of international open wheel racing. NASCAR became the sole pinnacle of domestic American motorsports, because the IRL and CART were too busy competing with each other and draining their own resources while NASCAR quietly picked up both disillusioned fans, and a lot of the major ovals. And even tried to turn the Indy 500 into a NASCAR event when the event was under threat due to the lack of big names. NASCAR is a bit less popular now, and with a reunified Indycar stealing its fans back, NASCAR arguably has to do something to turn that tide.

The realist in me says that NASCAR is still the bigger draw of the 2 domestic series in Texas, so TMS simply went out of their way to support their bigger earner. But that's a little odd given the harm it did to the series they just signed a new lucrative contract with. Hence my aforementioned cynicism.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 5:14 am
by Exediron
I'm afraid the realist in me says that most things can be explained by simple incompetence, and they probably just screwed up and didn't account for how poorly the surface would do for IndyCar racing. You often don't need to look any further than people being stupid to find an explanation.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 10:53 am
by Tufty
You're probably right, it just sent the cogs in my brain into overdrive. I can still smell bacon...!

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 3:22 pm
by Asphalt_World
Thing is, despite the poor track surface and a line around the circuit that should only be entered with extreme caution, the drivers just got on with it.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 3:23 pm
by Tufty
Asphalt_World wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 3:22 pm
Thing is, despite the poor track surface and a line around the circuit that should only be entered with extreme caution, the drivers just got on with it.
The drivers got on with it in Fontana in 2015 too, but none of them were happy about it.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 3:26 pm
by Asphalt_World
Tufty wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 3:23 pm
Asphalt_World wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 3:22 pm
Thing is, despite the poor track surface and a line around the circuit that should only be entered with extreme caution, the drivers just got on with it.
The drivers got on with it in Fontana in 2015 too, but none of them were happy about it.
Agreed. I'm not saying it's a good thing that the track was like that, but I was impressed that the drivers still raced hard on it.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 3:37 pm
by Tufty
They live to race. I wish I had half the single-minded attitude in my life that they do. It's highly admirable, even if it's sometimes a bad call (see Wickens, Wheldon etc). Although on that latter point, Vegas should never have happened in the first place. But I digress.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 9:09 pm
by Asphalt_World
Good to see Romain get to the fast 12 in qualifying at Indy. Can he make the final 6?

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 9:17 pm
by Asphalt_World
Grosjean and McLaughlin, both rookies, through to the fast 6. Romain in 3rd.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 9:32 pm
by Asphalt_World
POLE POLE POLE POLE POLE POLE POLE POLE POLE!!!!!!

GO ROMAIN!!!!!!!!!!

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 9:39 pm
by pokerman
Well done Romain, pole position. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sat May 15, 2021 2:19 am
by Mort Canard
Asphalt_World wrote:
Fri May 14, 2021 9:32 pm
POLE POLE POLE POLE POLE POLE POLE POLE POLE!!!!!!

GO ROMAIN!!!!!!!!!!
:thumbup: :nod:

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sat May 15, 2021 4:20 am
by Steam Coat Hun
McLaughlin starting from 5th as well! :thumbup: :thumbup:

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sat May 15, 2021 7:41 am
by F1Tyrant
Isn't it a bit of a damning indictment of American racing that an old Grosjean has stuck it on pole in his third race? Maybe I'm being unduly harsh.

Re: IndyCar 2021

Posted: Sat May 15, 2021 8:09 am
by Asphalt_World
F1Tyrant wrote:
Sat May 15, 2021 7:41 am
Isn't it a bit of a damning indictment of American racing that an old Grosjean has stuck it on pole in his third race? Maybe I'm being unduly harsh.
Od it could be that Indycars suit him very well, combined with a great team who got the setup spot on and that it's a road course, not an oval. These could all add up to him being very good at the sport, Time will tell. Yes, he had a reputation for crashing a bit too much and not being as naturally talented as some in F1, but we've seen many times that drivers who don't make the cut in F1, go on a do very well in Indycar. This isn't a reflection on Indycar drivers, but more a reflection that it's a different sport with very different cars.