What do you make of the Group C 3.5 liter engine formula?

With the announcement that CART is going to (supposedly) go to the 3.5 atmo engine in 2003, I can't help but remember the Group C fiasco that led to its demise, the switch to virtual F1 specs with a 3.5 liter atmo with time limited races.

Jag pulled a fast one by getting Ford's F1 engine in the XJR that was virtually an F1 car with body work, but they and Mercedes soon quit and in 1992 slim fields of Peugeots and Toyotas were running around, ending the Group C era.

Do you think it was only to intice people like Peugeot and Mercedes into F1? Or was there some other reason for going to these specs?

Seems to me that it is an attempt to get CART closer to Indycars and thus wrest back the Indy 500 for CART.

Or am I just being an old cynic?

Sure Megatron I am sure that your suggestion is not far from the truth. Group C was used as a playing ground for Peugeot for their coming F1 effort.

The early years of IRL was pretty poor, but now it has gone from strenght to strenght. They do gather decent crowds at every race. But I still think that an amalgation of IRL and CART would be beneficial at least for the racing fans. Having a similar engines would help that cause.

Originally posted by Barry Boor
Seems to me that it is an attempt to get CART closer to Indycars and thus wrest back the Indy 500 for CART.

Or am I just being an old cynic?

Hardly to "wrest back the Indy 500" I would say - particularly since they never had it! CART never was the sanctioning body for the Indianapolis 500, although they always used to count the race in their points table. More likely it is an attempt to give more of their teams a shot at entering the 500. As CART becomes increasingly marginalized - their teams desperately need to be in the 500 in order to attract sponsors.

Fair point, Mike, but do you not agree that CART carries this perception that its cars OUGHT to be at Indy? Therefore, your scenario is almost certainly true.