Lotus Performance Upgrade

[Jameswnh]

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-lotus-submits-mid-season-performance-upgrade-request/

Ok, this raises a lot of questions with me. First, we get some good insight into how the evolution of the engines in this series will take place. There are areas that are open for the teams to do what they wish at any point in the season (albeit with the price of a grid penalty), and we already know Lotus has wasted no time in those areas. Then, twice a year the slowest engine is allowed to work in areas that are otherwise off limits with IndyCar's approval. Doesn't seem like the best way to go about it, but it makes sense so far. Then it goes off track:

Rule 4.7 defines the parameters necessary to qualify for the one-time helping hand from the series while the championship is under way, and also outlines what will happen if too much help is given, stating: "At June 18th and again at the end of the year manufacturers whose engines are statistically more that 2.5% deficient in power may, at the sole discretion and evaluation of INDYCAR, make improvements to be homologated immediately.

"These will be introduced only on new engines being sent to the track. These improvements are allowed to make up 2% of this shortcoming. Should this be exceeded INDYCAR may elect to reduce performance standards to remain within the 2% window by means of boost or RPM control. In assessing this, only measurements accumulated statistically during testing, practice and race conditions will be used."

Now they lost me. Basically, they'll let you make your improvements, but you better not run too well, or they'll bring you back down? That's silly. If you approve the changes, then let it be. Especially if they're still allowed to make additional improvements in the allowed areas. What if they happen to find a bit of extra speed somewhere else down the road that puts them over the seemingly arbitrary 2% mark?

Another interesting bit of information:

“It’s not that simple,” he confirmed. “The intention of the rules is that you can’t just go and request more boost or revs. You give [INDYCAR] a shopping list of items you’d like to change, but wouldn’t be allowed to under the existing homologation regulations. For example, the camshaft profile is fixed for two years, but if that’s something we wanted to change, and submitted it as part of our performance enhancement plan, they will respond to that request and let us know if it will be allowed. Normally, that would be an off-limits item.”

So if they do happen to alter their camshaft profile early (with I think is a bit silly to have as a fixed area), or any of the "off limits" items really, do they stay on the same schedule as everyone else? Can they still re-evaluate what they have when everyone else does?

I don't know, seems to me it would be easier to just open up more of the engine during the season, and let every team submit larger changes for approval every off season. Not to mention get rid of the 10 spot grid penalty.

 

[Thegroundpounder99]

Honestly, I find the whole thing ridiculous. Chevrolet was dominant at the beginning of the year, now they're letting Honda and Lotus make their changes. Chevrolet obviously did a better job then Honda and Lotus (They're so far off it's not even worth mentioning them but....) getting their program together. Honda was the lone engine provider for how long? They should've been the last ones to get an approved change. This just brings Indy's credibility to me down even more. Set the damn rules and race 16 races and then make your changes. I find the whole thing laughable at best so far.

 

[Jameswnh]

Honestly, I find the whole thing ridiculous. Chevrolet was dominant at the beginning of the year, now they're letting Honda and Lotus make their changes. Chevrolet obviously did a better job then Honda and Lotus (They're so far off it's not even worth mentioning them but....) getting their program together. Honda was the lone engine provider for how long? They should've been the last ones to get an approved change. This just brings Indy's credibility to me down even more. Set the damn rules and race 16 races and then make your changes. I find the whole thing laughable at best so far.

The Honda issue is a little different. Actually, it didn't have as much to do with Honda as it did Borg-Warner. It was BW that decided the numbers were off from what they specified, and that it was necessary to modify the single turbo compression covers. Honda happens to be the only single turbo engine. If Chevy or Lotus ran single turbos, the change would have applied to them as well. Besides, that change had been requested well before the season, in the early stages of the new formula.

 

[Thegroundpounder99]

The Honda issue is a little different. Actually, it didn't have as much to do with Honda as it did Borg-Warner. It was BW that decided the numbers were off from what they specified, and that it was necessary to modify the single turbo compression covers. Honda happens to be the only single turbo engine. If Chevy or Lotus ran single turbos, the change would have applied to them as well. Besides, that change had been requested well before the season, in the early stages of the new formula.

Wasn't aware that they requested that before the season started. The more you know! Thanks for clearing that up for me. You think these changes will make Lotus a competitor or get them closer? They seem to be way off.

 

[Jameswnh]

Wasn't aware that they requested that before the season started. The more you know! Thanks for clearing that up for me. You think these changes will make Lotus a competitor or get them closer? They seem to be way off.

It'd be pretty marginal I would think, but it'll be hard to tell with only one car left. This says more about Lotus' future involvement than anything else. If they were just going to pack it in and call it a failure after this season, as a lot of people thought, you wouldn't think they'd even do this. This shows something of a commitment, IMO.