Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to The Pit Lane. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
F1 and the Indy 500
Topic Started: Feb 8 2007, 06:20 PM (245 Views)
Paul_Murtagh
Member Avatar
Chief Engineer
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Could F1 teams ever enter the Indy 500? In the 60's and 70's both McLaren and Lotus went over to take part in IndyCar's greatest race and done well. But it's been a while since there was crossover between the series. Could F1 teams afford to takepart these days by building a seperate chassis just for one race? Surely it would spice up the IndyCar series to have the world's top racing teams come over from F1 and take part in the race.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The Saint
Unregistered

I know of no rules that would exclude F1 TEAMS from entering the INDY 500, but they certainly could not take an F1 car with them!

Champ Car teams can AND do enter the INDY 500, Sebastian Bordais raced there in 2005 in a Newman/Haas.

So yeah they can enter, and maybe they should. Though in Honda's case there would be a conflict of interest as they supply ALL then engines, and I am not sure Toyota would like their car having a Honda in the back!
Quote Post Goto Top
 
blackdog
Tyre Changer
[ *  * ]
Paul_Murtagh,Feb 8 2007
06:20 PM
Could F1 teams ever enter the Indy 500? In the 60's and 70's both McLaren and Lotus went over to take part in IndyCar's greatest race and done well. But it's been a while since there was crossover between the series. Could F1 teams afford to takepart these days by building a seperate chassis just for one race? Surely it would spice up the IndyCar series to have the world's top racing teams come over from F1 and take part in the race.

In the current climate, ie the split in open wheel racing in the US, I cannot see the attraction for F1 teams in the Indy 500. A shame, as a full-on assault would have a serious chance of success, given the strength in depth (or lack of it) currently on show in Indycar racing. The only team I can think of who might gain anything by it would be Red Bull, but I can't see them looking at it until the F1 team is doing the business.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
stradlin24
Member Avatar
Team Boss
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
even though I doubt they would

there is nothing to stop an f1 team entering a car into the 500

obviously it would have to be an IRL car and not an f1 car

so its a choice between a Dallara or Panoz chassis with a Honda engine

Red Bull used to be the title sponsor for Eddie Cheever's IRL team but they had the worlds worst luck and the partnership wasnt as succesful as it should have been

the last time a non IRL team entered the 500 was 2005 with Champ Car team Newman-Haas entering a two car efffort

unfortunatley, it would be a decision that would cost the team dear and since then there hasn't even been a suggestion of a Champ Car team entering again
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The Saint
Unregistered

During the 2006 negotiations between Tony George (IRL) and Kevin Kalkhoven (CC) to try and re-unify the two series there was a LOT of discussion about not having any Champ Cars races in the month of May to allow the CC teams to compete in the Indy 500 race.
This was seen as the first step by these two bull heads to fix the two series and once again compete for fans lost to the NASCAR series.
Like all negotiation between these two, they broke down.
Quote Post Goto Top
 
John
Team Boss
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
The Saint,Feb 8 2007
06:23 PM
So yeah they can enter, and maybe they should. Though in Honda's case there would be a conflict of interest as they supply ALL then engines, and I am not sure Toyota would like their car having a Honda in the back!

That simple fact means all other manufacturers teams would not enter...

BMW.Sauber, Renault, McLaren(Mercedes) and Ferrari would see no point in entering with a rivals engine... assuming they won it would be an own goal...
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
safc_fan89
Member Avatar
safc_fan89
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
It would be pointless really. Unless they could enter their own car rather than a chassis designed for them...
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The Saint
Unregistered

safc_fan89,Feb 9 2007
11:37 AM
It would be pointless really. Unless they could enter their own car rather than a chassis designed for them...

Which they can't.

But it would not be pointless for IRL, as having the worlds top F1 drivers compete in the series would be a HUGE publicity coup!
Quote Post Goto Top
 
stradlin24
Member Avatar
Team Boss
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
safc_fan89,Feb 9 2007
11:37 AM
It would be pointless really. Unless they could enter their own car rather than a chassis designed for them...

which is against IRL rules

if an IRL team entered an F1 race they would have to design their own chassis rather then use the Dallara customer chassis

it works both ways
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Red Andy
Member Avatar

Moderator
stradlin22,Feb 10 2007
01:27 PM
if an IRL team entered an F1 race they would have to design their own chassis

Unless they called themselves "Super Aguri" or "Scuderia Toro Rosso," of course.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
safc_fan89
Member Avatar
safc_fan89
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
stradlin22,Feb 10 2007
01:27 PM
safc_fan89,Feb 9 2007
11:37 AM
It would be pointless really. Unless they could enter their own car rather than a chassis designed for them...

which is against IRL rules

if an IRL team entered an F1 race they would have to design their own chassis rather then use the Dallara customer chassis

it works both ways

Well yeah, that backs the fact that it would be pointless, because F1 teams would know little about setting up an IRL car. I think if any team thought it was worthwhile they might have had a go by now, but there isn't time.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
« Previous Topic · Formula 1 · Next Topic »
Add Reply