2024 IndyCar Series

[Matthew]

Let's discuss everything about 2024 IndyCar Series in this thread.

indycar24.jpg

[fiscorpun]

Im hating the idea of having Hybrid engines after Indy500. I guess they will eventually postpone that to 2025, but still, NOT A GOOD IDEA (costs, weight), especially with Honda saying they may exit the series in case they dont find a third brand to share all those engines. Over the last 10 years there were hopes of Judd returning, Cosworth entering, FERRARI entering(!!) but I guess the championship is not that important right now for brands to come and spend some money there. Even Winning the indy500 is more of a "Driver accomplishment" than something BRANDS can relate to. Like winning the chilli bowl. Manufacturers dont care about that. Its a DRIVER thing.
THAT SHOULD CHANGE Imo... and As soon as possible. I mean.... HECK, Mercedes wants to run an F1 engine inside a Dallara car in this year's Indy500? LET THEM DO IT, u'know?

[MarkintheShwa]

Im hating the idea of having Hybrid engines after Indy500. I guess they will eventually postpone that to 2025, but still, NOT A GOOD IDEA (costs, weight), especially with Honda saying they may exit the series in case they dont find a third brand to share all those engines. Over the last 10 years there were hopes of Judd returning, Cosworth entering, FERRARI entering(!!) but I guess the championship is not that important right now for brands to come and spend some money there. Even Winning the indy500 is more of a "Driver accomplishment" than something BRANDS can relate to. Like winning the chilli bowl. Manufacturers dont care about that. Its a DRIVER thing.
THAT SHOULD CHANGE Imo... and As soon as possible. I mean.... HECK, Mercedes wants to run an F1 engine inside a Dallara car in this year's Indy500? LET THEM DO IT, u'know?

The problem with this is that outside of F1 and Sportscar racing, spec rules seem to be more the norm. Manufacturers tend to want to win at the expense of the series (that is if they win every race, they don't give a toss about competitive balance or the entertainment value). That in Indycar would not be a good thing. Would we gain more fans if we have more chassis and engines? Maybe, but the cost of being competitive would go up even if we had a BOP. That flies and seems to work in Sportscar but I have my doubts it is easy to do in Indycar.

The other issue is as you say, it is a driver's accomplishment; not necessarily one for the manufacturer. It has to an extent has always been this way and I don't see it changing. There is no real incentive for Mercedes to build a Indycar legal hybrid just to win Indy. They would need to build for the series, not just the 500. But they only might have interest in the 500. I don't know what the solution is but if someone was willing to come in and build an engine to fit in the Indycar rules, that option is always there.