Indycar tech and JPM

[kfzmeister]

Hopefully you guys won't incinerate me for starting this thread, but even F1 publications have made a note about the latest Indycar technology.

Last weekend, i watched the Mid Ohio Indycar race, mostly to check out Juan Pablo's run to a possible Championship (and boy is it getting tight!). I've always loved his fighting spirit and still think he should have stayed in F1.

Anywho, after watching a few laps, i noticed that they run big LED displays on the cars just behind the driver's head that display current race positions and when they enter into the pits, you can see the display count down the seconds that the pitstop takes. They even displayed the letter PP for Push (button) to Pass while the driver was attempting an overtake.

I have to admit that i don't watch any Indycar (too much an F1 junkie), and i didn't realize that this Ohio race was the first time that they actually tested that system. Either way, there was an element of interest there while watching the race and perhaps this would be good for F1, too. This morning, i read on German F1 site Auto, Motor and Sport that they took note of this tech and wondered the same thing.

Anybody else have thoughts on the LED technology?

Btw, hope Juan can hang on to the end and win the Indycar Championship!

[Rollo]

Anybody else have thoughts on the LED technology?

That is ace.

Also this:


V8 Supercars carry a green or orange lamp in the window which indicates things like whether a car has or hasn't made a compulsory pitstop in sprint races, or in this case if the second driver is in the car for endurance events.

Indy cars carry the number on the faring behind the rear wheel, which means that you can actually tell who is who. The worst offenders for that in F1 this year are Red Bull whose numbers are miniscule and McLaren whose are illegible.

[Mark]

Not sure about the LED numbers really. It looks a little gimmicky. We have plenty of on screen graphics to help with car position, and those at the track have commentary.

As for the V8Supercar thing reminds me of when they used to have compulsory pit stops in British Touring Cars, they had a yellow strip under the drivers name on the back window, which was torn off during the stop, simple and effective.

[AndyL]

And at Le Mans they have 3 lights on the number panel to indicate who is 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each class. F1 is behind the curve on fan engagement, somehow that sounds like a familiar refrain.

[zako85]

Anywho, after watching a few laps, i noticed that they run big LED displays on the cars just behind the driver's head that display current race positions and when they enter into the pits, you can see the display count down the seconds that the pitstop takes. They even displayed the letter PP for Push (button) to Pass while the driver was attempting an overtake.

I watched nearly every IndyCar race since 2010, and this race in mid-Ohio was the first IndyCar race in the whole time to introduce those displays. However, it's not new. The same displays are used in Tudor United Sportscar Championship.

[zako85]

Not sure about the LED numbers really. It looks a little gimmicky. We have plenty of on screen graphics to help with car position, and those at the track have commentary.

It's not gimmicky for IndyCar. Quite often it's hard to identify the Indy cars. Depending on a race, one team can bring anywhere between say one and two, or two and four cars to the race. Moreover, the same car can change liveries between races. Best example is the "Target" car of Dixon (former Franchitti car). Normally, it's red but some races its blue or black. So having those displays can hopefully help fans make at least some sense of what's going on. Also, in long IndyCar races (500 miles or so), a car can make something like 5-7 pit stops, and full course cautions can also affect the course of race, so having this displays may help fans.

[kfzmeister]

I watched nearly every IndyCar race since 2010, and this race in mid-Ohio was the first IndyCar race in the whole time to introduce those displays. However, it's not new. The same displays are used in Tudor United Sportscar Championship.

I guess F1 tried it not too long ago. The added a whole new wing above the drivers head with a display. I guess fans didn't care for it. I saw a pic and it did seem hideous!

[Jag_Warrior]

I'm not exactly sure what it is that the Indy car series tried out (I don't watch the IRL, but still: Go Juancho!!! ) . I don't know if it's similar to what ALMS used over a decade ago, although it sounds like it's more comprehensive. And the system that F1 trialed was developed or marketed by Anthony Hamilton last year. I'm pretty sure that's what is in KFZMeister's thumbnail pic. I never heard anything else about that. F1's solution to driver and car identification seems to focus on drivers not being able to change their helmet designs during the season. There really are days when it seems like F1 is a clown car that accidentally drove into a gold mine. Seriously.

But if any of these systems can help more fans get or feel engaged, them I'm all for it. I'd say where a system like that would really help is with the fans at the track, since those of us watching on TV have the on-screen graphics. No harm in trying something.