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IndyCar
INDYCAR: New Oval Aero Kit Not Required For Dallara DW12
INDYCAR's Will Phillips updates SPEED.com on what Dallara and the series determined during their recent full-scale wind tunnel test of the DW12.
INDYCAR and Dallara came away from Windshear's rolling road wind tunnel with findings that should allow its teams to start intensive oval testing earlier than expected. (IndyCar Series)
The IZOD IndyCar Series reported on Tuesday that it had found the answers it was looking for to improve the speed of the new Dallara DW12 chassis in Speedway trim.
“We then compared the 2012 car as it was run at its fastest during the (November) testing at the Speedway,” INDYCAR VP of Technology Will Phillips said of the full-scale test conducted at the Windshear facility.
“We showed that aerodynamically the car was limited to 218.4 mph, so the (drivers/teams) did a good job of reaching its potential. We then compared the production car, which is slightly different from the prototype in terms of different mirrors, different rear wheel fairings, subtle differences in chassis construction and better integration of the Zylon (side intrusion) panels.
“Basically, the production car is more slippery than the prototype. That lifted the speed as the car was run. We then looked at how could we improve the aerodynamic force of the car? Basically, by optimizing the aero set-up, re-balancing the car and then putting on some aero development parts, it showed that using a nominal assumed horsepower of 575 the car is capable of 225 mph.”
In a call with SPEED.com, Phillips expanded on the findings by INDYCAR and Dallara, and provided a summary of the next steps to come in the process.
“Ultimately, the car can do what it was designed to do with some minor additional parts - Dallara will produce some parts that did not originally come with the car to do 225,” he said. “As it was delivered, it could not quite do that speed but minor parts all add up to make a big difference. Three of those components have been tested in the wind tunnel, and all performed to our satisfaction."
The Italian company committed to rectify the DW12’s big oval shortcomings in a letter to IndyCar team owners last month, offering to go as far as producing a brand-new, bespoke oval aero kit if needed, and according to Phillips, that timely, worst-case scenario has been avoided.
With the Indy 500 just over four months away, many teams harbored concerns over having to delay their oval testing programs while Dallara sought answers to find more oval speed.
And with their DW12s in hand, being restricted to developing setups for road and street courses while major oval bodywork revisions were designed and manufactured didn't sit well with those wanting to get a head start on winning at the Brickyard.
Provided INDYCAR’s lessons from its visit to Windshear translate directly to the speeds it now expects to reach at Indianapolis, Texas and Fontana, the teams this writer spoke with said they won’t mind waiting on the modest number of aero updates required to commence their oval testing programs.
Although teams can (and will) conduct oval testing prior to the new parts arriving from Dallara, they will be limited to learning general aspects about the DW12. Once the final Speedway parts are in place--including the updated suspension arms that are currently being manufactured--intense chassis and aero tuning can begin.
Marshall Pruett is SPEED.com's Auto Racing Editor, covering IndyCar and sports cars. He also contributes to Road & Track and Racecar Engineering. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
“We then compared the 2012 car as it was run at its fastest during the (November) testing at the Speedway,” INDYCAR VP of Technology Will Phillips said of the full-scale test conducted at the Windshear facility.
“We showed that aerodynamically the car was limited to 218.4 mph, so the (drivers/teams) did a good job of reaching its potential. We then compared the production car, which is slightly different from the prototype in terms of different mirrors, different rear wheel fairings, subtle differences in chassis construction and better integration of the Zylon (side intrusion) panels.
“Basically, the production car is more slippery than the prototype. That lifted the speed as the car was run. We then looked at how could we improve the aerodynamic force of the car? Basically, by optimizing the aero set-up, re-balancing the car and then putting on some aero development parts, it showed that using a nominal assumed horsepower of 575 the car is capable of 225 mph.”
In a call with SPEED.com, Phillips expanded on the findings by INDYCAR and Dallara, and provided a summary of the next steps to come in the process.
“Ultimately, the car can do what it was designed to do with some minor additional parts - Dallara will produce some parts that did not originally come with the car to do 225,” he said. “As it was delivered, it could not quite do that speed but minor parts all add up to make a big difference. Three of those components have been tested in the wind tunnel, and all performed to our satisfaction."
The Italian company committed to rectify the DW12’s big oval shortcomings in a letter to IndyCar team owners last month, offering to go as far as producing a brand-new, bespoke oval aero kit if needed, and according to Phillips, that timely, worst-case scenario has been avoided.
With the Indy 500 just over four months away, many teams harbored concerns over having to delay their oval testing programs while Dallara sought answers to find more oval speed.
And with their DW12s in hand, being restricted to developing setups for road and street courses while major oval bodywork revisions were designed and manufactured didn't sit well with those wanting to get a head start on winning at the Brickyard.
Provided INDYCAR’s lessons from its visit to Windshear translate directly to the speeds it now expects to reach at Indianapolis, Texas and Fontana, the teams this writer spoke with said they won’t mind waiting on the modest number of aero updates required to commence their oval testing programs.
Although teams can (and will) conduct oval testing prior to the new parts arriving from Dallara, they will be limited to learning general aspects about the DW12. Once the final Speedway parts are in place--including the updated suspension arms that are currently being manufactured--intense chassis and aero tuning can begin.
Marshall Pruett is SPEED.com's Auto Racing Editor, covering IndyCar and sports cars. He also contributes to Road & Track and Racecar Engineering. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
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