Drivers buzzing about new aero kits at IndyCar media day
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Marco Andretti deemed it the "elephant in the room."
Some drivers are apprehensive about it. Some don't care as long as their manufacturer's is superior. It's expected to play a major part in determining who leaps ahead and who is left behind when the IndyCar Series season begins on March 29 in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The use of the aero kits designed by manufacturers Chevrolet and Honda was prime on the mind of drivers on a snowy preseason media day on Tuesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"Whichever one rolls out on top I think is going to enjoy a good amount of success," said driver Marco Andretti, whose Andretti Autosport teams will utilize the models unveiled by Honda earlier in the morning.
Teams are expected to take delivery of their new kits by March 1, with testing on-track and in wind tunnels set to begin on March 13. Extra tests have been scheduled before race weekends at Barber Motorsports Park and St. Petersburg.
"In an ideal world, we're racing our teammates and a couple other guys. But you never know," Andretti said of his hope his team and Honda will be quick studies.
Ganassi Racing's Tony Kanaan and Scott Dixon and Team Penske's Juan Pablo Montoya and Helio Castroneves — also Chevrolet drivers — undertook offseason validation testing of an earlier version of the kits. Kanaan deemed the kit "reliable" after running about 500 miles at Phoenix International Raceway.
"It looks quite a bit different, that's for sure," Kanaan said. "It's hard for us to tell because we went to Phoenix. The last time I was there was a different track layout. They did actually change the track. We went much quicker this time.
"But it felt good. Obviously, like I said, it's hard to give a comparison because it was on a track that I hadn't driven the new DW12 currently. But it felt good."
Honda has not yet introduced its design. According to IndyCar officials, the new kits could increase speeds at some venues by up to two seconds, and provide some brand identity previously impossible in the homogeneous Dallaras.
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