Honda Unveils Wild Aero Kit For 2015 IndyCar Season

by Cameron Aubernon

Published: March 11th, 2015

honda unveils wild aero kit for 2015 indycar season

After years of spec racing, IndyCar has decided to allow the manufacturers to shape the game for 2015. Honda, for its part, isn’t holding back. Road & Track reports Honda’s new aero kit for the DW12 chassis pulls its influence from Formula One, with former F1 chassis designer/entrant Nick Wirth and his team at Wirth Research, as well as the engineers and designers of Honda Performance Development, coming up with the aggressive design for the road course/short oval kit.HPD vice president Steven Eriksen says kits like the one by his company can help lead the way out of spec racing, inspiring competitors and fans alike in so doing:We’ve had a car that is essentially the same since 2012—all cars the same across the whole grid. Now you’re going to have the visual differences across the cars. I think it will be engaging for the fans, particularly the folks that are really interested in the details. My sense is that it is really about getting back to the roots of IndyCar, where you have development going on as opposed to being spec.He added that the initial cost of the 200-piece kit [press release says 200 pieces – CA] is $75,000, and that teams can add or subtract as many pieces as needed for a given situation, with three possible combinations for qualifying, practice and competition as a result.The kit will debut next week at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Ala. for two days of testing alongside Chevrolet’s own aero kit, with both set to compete March 29 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

#AeroKits #Honda #HondaPerformanceDevelopment #Indycar #StevenEriksen

Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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5 of 34 comments

7402 on Mar 11, 2015

It's actually sort of pretty in an ugly sort of way. I haven't followed formula racing since watching midget racers at the airport as a kid, but I think a basic formula that would encourage technology transferable to consumer vehicles would be awesome. Here's a shot at a simple formula: 1. No mechanical components may replaced or rebuilt for the entire season (obviously consumables like tires, brake pads, oil don't count here). -- this would influence design toward durability and reliability. 2. Fuel quantity is limited such that it is possible, even likely, that some cars will run out of fuel and not finish. -- this would influence design toward fuel economy while allowing free reign regarding weight, materials, aerodynamics, etc. More detailed rules could be added for each formula or series, but these two rules would apply throughout.

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- Rpn453 on Mar 11, 2015
  
  Formula 1 has been going in that direction. Last year, each entry was allowed five engines for the year and, I believe, five gearboxes and hybrid powertrains as well. This year, I think it drops to four. They also instituted maximum fuel loads last year, with the result being cars that are almost as fast as the previous year on about two-thirds of the fuel. Those torquey 560 hp 1.6L turbo engines and hybrid systems that can provide an extra 200 hp for a third of every lap are quite impressive, though the exhaust sound wasn't, and Mercedes' powertrain dominance led to an uncompetitive season.
  
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- Flipper35 on Mar 12, 2015
  
  @rpn453 Years ago they had one load of fuel to last the entire race. 72 liters IIRC.
  
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- Rpn453 on Mar 12, 2015
  
  @Flipper35 It's 100 kg now, so about 130 liters. In recent history up to 2013 they started with around 200 liters, and it was up to the engineers to decide how much fuel to take. No refueling allowed then or now. Amazing that they could cram 200 liters into those cars. You need a lot of fuel to push cars with so much aerodynamic drag that simply letting off the throttle at high speed slows them quicker than most street cars can brake. The cars were more elegant back when they simply tried to make them as light and aerodynamically slippery as possible.
  
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JimC2 on Mar 11, 2015

Can't wait until one of these crashes* ... wings flying EVERYWHERE!! It'll surely make it on to YouTube. * with no on injured, of course

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