259 replies to this topic

[stewie]

 

Er, guys?! You're going the wrong way!

 

Welcome to the 3rd annual 'Going Backwards Around' Indianapolis Grand Prix

(or, for marketing reasons, the Angie's List Grand Prix of Indianapolis)

 

Yes here we are again kids, for Round 5 of the 2016 Indycar Season, a round only really invented so they could guarantee a new event to the calendar would actually happen for a good few seasons.

 

Tacked onto the month of May (or should I say the half month of May), it serves a nice little padding round to fill up a month that just used to feature cars droning around in a circle all day long.

 

And who wants to see that? 

 

So, what do we have here then?

 

Well, we stand a good chance of seeing this, a first corner first lap melee...

 

 

As cars attempt to go from a very wide thing, into a very tight narrow thing. Fnarr, fnarr.

 

Track Map

 

 

For all you people (doubting Thomas') who think Indycars go around in circles turning left, well they do. Just this weekend they'll turn right too.

 

For what it's worth, I like this track. Once they got rid of the mickey mouse F1 section after turns 3/4, it made for a nice little track. Shame they have turn 12/13/14 but there we go. Can't win them all!

 

In Car Lap

 

See how Sea Bass throws his machine around this mighty facility.

 

 

So, who's driving in this race?

 

Some people.

 

Seriously?

 

OK. Here is the spotter's guide.

 

Linky McLinkface

 

In addition to the usual suspects, we are joined this weekend by the following:

 

No6 - JR 'I stuck it in the wall on the last lap while leading the Indy 500' Hilderbrand.

No16 - Spencer Pigot

No35 - Alex Tagliani

No61 - Matt Brabham

 

Schedule?

 

Thursday

 

• 08:00am - Gates Open
• 08:00am - 06:00pm - Ticket Office Open
• 08:30am - 06:00pm - IMS Midway Open
• 09:30am - 10:00am - USF2000 Practice
• 10:15am - 10:45am - Pro Mazda Practice
• 11:00am - 12:15pm - Verizon IndyCar Series Practice
• 11:00am - 05:00pm - Ivy Tech Garage Tours
• 12:30pm - 01:15pm - Indy Lights Practice
• 01:30pm - 02:00pm - USF2000 Practice
• 02:15pm - 02:45pm - Pro Mazda Practice
• 03:00pm - 04:15pm - Verizon IndyCar Series Practice
• 04:30pm - 05:15pm - Indy Lights Practice
• 06:00pm - Gates Close

Friday

 

• 08:00am - Gates Open
• 08:00am - 06:00pm - Ticket Office Open
• 09:30am - 06:00pm - IMS Midway Open
• 09:30am - 10:00am - USF2000 Qualifying
• 10:15am - 10:45am - Pro Mazda Qualifying
• 11:00am - 11:45am - Verizon IndyCar Series Practice
• 11:00am - 05:00pm - Ivy Tech Garage Tours
• 11:00am - 11:30am - USF2000 Driver Autograph Session - INDYCAR Fan Village
• 11:45am - 12:15pm - Pro Mazda Driver Autograph Session - INDYCAR Fan Village
• 12:00pm - 12:45pm - Indy Lights Qualifying
• 01:00pm - 01:40pm - USF2000 Race #1
• 01:00pm - 02:00pm - IndyCar Driver Autograph Session - INDYCAR Fan Village
• 01:55pm - 02:45pm - Pro Mazda Race #1
• 03:00pm - 04:15pm - Verizon IndyCar Series Qualifying
• 04:30pm - 05:30pm - Indy Lights Race #1
• 06:00pm - Gates Close

Saturday (YES, RACE DAY IS SATURDAY PEEPS, SATURDAY)

 

• 08:00am - Gates Open
• 08:00am - 03:30pm - Ticket Office Open
• 08:00am - 03:50pm - IMS Midway Open
• 09:45am - 10:05am - Indy Lights Warm Up
• 10:20am - 11:10am - Pro Mazda Race #2
• 11:30am - 12:00pm - Verizon IndyCar Series Warm Up
• 11:30am - 12:00pm - Indy Lights Driver Autograph Session - INDYCAR Fan Village
• 12:15pm - 12:55pm - USF2000 Race #2
• 12:30pm - Andretti Car Unveil - Pagoda Plaza
• 01:25pm - 02:25pm - Indy Lights Race #2
• 03:00pm - 03:30pm - Bronze Badge Holder Grid Walk 
• 03:00pm - 03:15pm - Driver Introductions
• 03:26pm - Invocation - Mark Schuitema
• 03:27pm - National Anthem
• 03:43pm - "Drivers Start Your Engines"
• 03:50pm - Angie's List Grand Prix of Indianapolis - 82 Laps
• 06:00pm - 07:00pm - Post Race Track Invasion 
• 07:00pm - Gates Close

How can I watch the race?

 

US - ABC (This means as well as watch cars drone on and on, we can listen to the commentators do the same thing)

UK - BT Sport ESPN

Other Countries - Who knows

Nigeria - Nigerian Broadcasting Company

 

And Finally...

 

Check out this sweet sexy paint job...

 

Edited by stewie, 11 May 2016 - 12:39.

[Muppetmad]

Alas, I will once again have to catch up on the race the next morning, but I hope everybody enjoys and has fun! Hopefully from the 500 onwards I can be more active on these threads again.

[Prost1997T]

USF2000 testing is about to begin, with a bumper field of 28 cars: http://racecontrol.indycar.com/

[paulb]

Love the OP, stewie!

 

Is Linky Mclinkface a play on Boaty Mcboatface? Brilliant!

 

Thanks especially for the Sat race reminder.

[thegamer23]

Are Indy & Indy lights practice e quali streamed live in the YouTube channel?

[king_crud]

Saturdays? People do stuff on Saturday, and not car watching stuff. I will watch this Sunday morning.

[stewie]

Love the OP, stewie!

 

Is Linky Mclinkface a play on Boaty Mcboatface? Brilliant!

 

Thanks especially for the Sat race reminder.

 

Haha yes a little topical humour for the Indycar thread!

 

Are Indy & Indy lights practice e quali streamed live in the YouTube channel?

 

I'm going to presume so as I think it's incredibly unlikely that ABC will show practice or qualy on network TV.

[prommer]

Thanks stewie! 

[Peat]

Last one into the gravel/grass/wall is a sissy!

[sblick]

My first race of the year in person .  I think we will be in the Turn 4 of the left turning course.  Two weeks from there I will be at the 500 at the entrance to turn 3 .  Two weeks after that for the Vintage Races where I will work on cars and not be a spectator so much .

[Spillage]

I also like this track. The last couple of runnings have been suitably crazy. I'm going for Hildebrand to hit the wall on the last lap while leading and this time scrape over the line in first place, rise from his cockpit screaming 'HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?', beat his chest a couple of times, and then retire to live the life of a hermit in the mountains where he can reflect on a life's work well done.

[ANF]

Schedule!

THURSDAY, MAY 12
                                             Indianapolis       London        Berlin        Athens        Moscow          Mumbai         Tokyo        Sydney
                                                EDT (0)        BST (+5)      CEST (+6)     EEST (+7)     MSK (+7)       IST (+9:30)    JST (+13)    AEST (+14)

                           USF2000 Practice   09:30–10:00     14:30–15:00   15:30–16:00   16:30–17:00   16:30–17:00     19:00–19:30   22:30–23:00   23:30–00:00   USF2000 Practice

                         Pro Mazda Practice   10:15–10:45     15:15–15:45   16:15–16:45   17:15–17:45   17:15–17:45     19:45–20:15   23:15–23:45   00:15–00:45   Pro Mazda Practice

            Verizon IndyCar Series Practice   11:00–12:15     16:00–17:15   17:00–18:15   18:00–19:15   18:00–19:15     20:30–21:45   00:00–01:15   01:00–02:15   Verizon IndyCar Series Practice

                       Indy Lights Practice   12:30–13:15     17:30–18:15   18:30–19:15   19:30–20:15   19:30–20:15     22:00–22:45   01:30–02:15   02:30–03:15   Indy Lights Practice

                           USF2000 Practice   13:30–14:00     18:30–19:00   19:30–20:00   20:30–21:00   20:30–21:00     23:00–23:30   02:30–03:00   03:30–04:00   USF2000 Practice

                         Pro Mazda Practice   14:15–14:45     19:15–19:45   20:15–20:45   21:15–21:45   21:15–21:45     23:45–00:15   03:15–03:45   04:15–04:45   Pro Mazda Practice

            Verizon IndyCar Series Practice   15:00–16:15     20:00–21:15   21:00–22:15   22:00–23:15   22:00–23:15     00:30–01:45   04:00–05:15   05:00–06:15   Verizon IndyCar Series Practice

                       Indy Lights Practice   16:30–17:15     21:30–22:15   22:30–23:15   23:30–00:15   23:30–00:15     02:00–02:45   05:30–06:15   06:30–07:15   Indy Lights Practice

FRIDAY, MAY 13
                                             Indianapolis       London        Berlin        Athens        Moscow          Mumbai         Tokyo        Sydney
                                                EDT (0)        BST (+5)      CEST (+6)     EEST (+7)     MSK (+7)       IST (+9:30)    JST (+13)    AEST (+14)

                     USF2000 Qualifications   09:30–10:00     14:30–15:00   15:30–16:00   16:30–17:00   16:30–17:00     19:00–19:30   22:30–23:00   23:30–00:00   USF2000 Qualifications

                   Pro Mazda Qualifications   10:15–10:45     15:15–15:45   16:15–16:45   17:15–17:45   17:15–17:45     19:45–20:15   23:15–23:45   00:15–00:45   Pro Mazda Qualifications

            Verizon IndyCar Series Practice   11:00–11:45     16:00–16:45   17:00–17:45   18:00–18:45   18:00–18:45     20:30–21:15   00:00–00:45   01:00–01:45   Verizon IndyCar Series Practice

                 Indy Lights Qualifications   12:00–12:45     17:00–17:45   18:00–18:45   19:00–19:45   19:00–19:45     21:30–22:15   01:00–01:45   02:00–02:45   Indy Lights Qualifications

   Verizon IndyCar Series Autograph Session   13:00–14:00     18:00–19:00   19:00–20:00   20:00–21:00   20:00–21:00     22:30–23:30   02:00–03:00   03:00–04:00   Verizon IndyCar Series Autograph Session

                             USF2000 Race 1   13:00–13:40     18:00–18:40   19:00–19:40   20:00–20:40   20:00–20:40     22:30–23:10   02:00–02:40   03:00–03:40   USF2000 Race 1

                           Pro Mazda Race 1   13:55–14:45     18:55–19:45   19:55–20:45   20:55–21:45   20:55–21:45     23:25–00:15   02:55–03:45   03:55–04:45   Pro Mazda Race 1

      Verizon IndyCar Series Qualifications   15:00–16:15     20:00–21:15   21:00–22:15   22:00–23:15   22:00–23:15     00:30–01:45   04:00–05:15   05:00–06:15   Verizon IndyCar Series Qualifications

                         Indy Lights Race 1   16:30–17:30     21:30–22:30   22:30–23:30   23:30–00:30   23:30–00:30     02:00–03:00   05:30–06:30   06:30–07:30   Indy Lights Race 1

SATURDAY, MAY 14
                                             Indianapolis       London        Berlin        Athens        Moscow          Mumbai         Tokyo        Sydney
                                                EDT (0)        BST (+5)      CEST (+6)     EEST (+7)     MSK (+7)       IST (+9:30)    JST (+13)    AEST (+14)

                         Indy Lights Warmup   09:45–10:05     14:45–15:05   15:45–16:05   16:45–17:05   16:45–17:05     19:15–19:35   22:45–23:05   23:45–00:05   Indy Lights Warmup

                           Pro Mazda Race 2   10:20–11:10     15:20–16:10   16:20–17:10   17:20–18:10   17:20–18:10     19:50–20:40   23:20–00:10   00:20–01:10   Pro Mazda Race 2

              Verizon IndyCar Series Warmup   11:30–12:00     16:30–17:00   17:30–18:00   18:30–19:00   18:30–19:00     21:00–21:30   00:30–01:00   01:30–02:00   Verizon IndyCar Series Warmup

                             USF2000 Race 2   12:15–12:55     17:15–17:55   18:15–18:55   19:15–19:55   19:15–19:55     21:45–22:25   01:15–01:55   02:15–02:55   USF2000 Race 2

                         Indy Lights Race 2   13:15–14:25     18:15–19:25   19:15–20:25   20:15–21:25   20:15–21:25     22:45–23:55   02:15–03:25   03:15–04:25   Indy Lights Race 2

                       ABC Broadcast Window   15:30–18:00     20:30–23:00   21:30–00:00   22:30–01:00   22:30–01:00     01:00–03:30   04:30–07:00   05:30–08:00   ABC Broadcast Window

The Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis   15:45–17:45     20:45–22:45   21:45–23:45   22:45–00:45   22:45–00:45     01:15–03:15   04:45–06:45   05:45–07:45   The Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis

[ArchieTech]

Anyone know if BT Sport in the UK are continuing the ad-free coverage they tried last race?

[jonpollak]

Jp

[Otaku]

Why the last chicane? Just why?? It ruins a good layout.

[Alonsofan007]

nice post op!!

 

i kind of liked that old section after T4 it was challenging (for me in game ), but this one makes for good overtakings tho and I agree about last section T12-13-14 it takes away DNA of the track.

[paulb]

I'm impressed that Hinch has a personal toilet seat and that he seems quite attached to it.

 

I agree that the turn 12-14 section is unfortunate. Imagine the drama if 13 was a straight connector between 12 and 14, that would be hairy at speed.

[evo]

 

And Finally...

 

Check out this sweet sexy paint job...

 

 

Ha! I kill me...

[lustigson]

Surprised to see on the on-board footage that the old turn 6 skipped in favour of a quick left-right flick onto Hulman Blvd — hadn't seen that before.

 

Just curious: with this lay-out, would running the road course the proper way around be better?

[B Squared]

Why the last chicane? Just why?? It ruins a good layout.

I believe it was first utilized for Moto GP. Ralf and Barrichello F1 accidents in oval turn one set the precedent to neuter the corner.

[Spillage]

Ironically it's what Michelin were asking for in 2005 but which F1 was unable to deliver. Doubly ironic that Indycar use one despite the fact they run on ovals regularly.

[lustigson]

Ironically it's what Michelin were asking for in 2005 but which F1 was unable to deliver. 

 

Indeed. But you would be hard-pressed to construct the extra chicane between qualifying and race, wouldn't you. 

[stewie]

Ironically it's what Michelin were asking for in 2005 but which F1 was unable to deliver. Doubly ironic that Indycar use one despite the fact they run on ovals regularly.

I suppose Indycar use it to differentiate between the oval and road course. Personally I'd prefer they'd use the oval T1 as per F1 car, given they are perfectly well built for smacking it into the wall if they do have an accident.

[stewie]

Surprised to see on the on-board footage that the old turn 6 skipped in favour of a quick left-right flick onto Hulman Blvd — hadn't seen that before.

Just curious: with this lay-out, would running the road course the proper way around be better?

They did test this layout with a couple of Indycars in both directions, so I presume they went with this one as it was the better one. I think the way round they use offers better overtaking spots.

Edited by stewie, 12 May 2016 - 08:55.

[Nonesuch]

Ironically it's what Michelin were asking for in 2005 but which F1 was unable to deliver.

 

Not unable, unwilling. Obviously in 2005 this layout couldn't have been created in time, even if the FIA had wanted to, but surely it would have been an embarrassment for F1 to admit they couldn't even handle one of the banked corners. All the more so as that was the signature corner of the F1 track.

 

Anyway, I watched the race at Barber a couple of days ago. This race should be fun as well.

Edited by Nonesuch, 12 May 2016 - 08:31.

[stewie]

Anyone know if BT Sport in the UK are continuing the ad-free coverage they tried last race?

I've not heard either way, but hopefully they will as I know it was well received.

[B Squared]

In regards to oval turn one, I remember articles in Autosport when the track design was released before the first F1 race at IMS in 2000 - several commented on how flat and easy the then-final turn would be in F1 machines. After the incidents it became, in the same press, banked and dangerous. Paraphrasing of course.

[August]

I suppose Indycar use it to differentiate between the oval and road course. Personally I'd prefer they'd use the oval T1 as per F1 car, given they are perfectly well built for smacking it into the wall if they do have an accident.

 

In that sense it's strange IndyCar doesn't use the oval turn. But how are the road course tires in IndyCar, do they use the same two compounds at all road/street courses? If so, then the road tires might not last goung through that turn over 20 times.

[Prost1997T]

I'm not sure what the reasoning was behind using MotoGP turns 1-3. Firestone can easily provide a more durable compound on request so that isn't it.

[jonpollak]

Live from the track



Jp

[Prost1997T]

New sponsors on Aleshin's car:

 

[stewie]

Someone on Trackforum has posted saying Chevy cars have a new front wing this weekend?

 

Found it thanks to Mr IndycarUK.

https://twitter.com/IndycarUK

 

Edited by stewie, 12 May 2016 - 14:46.

[paulb]

New sponsors on Aleshin's car:

 

Does anyone else think this is ironic?

 

Being passed by a car with Doom and fireball/flame graphics could be intimidating.

Edited by paulb, 12 May 2016 - 15:09.

[stewie]

Chilton's car has had the white nose coloured in blue.

[Prost1997T]

Brabham's stopped with a loose wheel.

[Prost1997T]

Rahal putting that updated Honda engine to good use, still fastest so far.

[Prost1997T]

Indycar practice 1 results:

 

[Afterburner]

New sponsors on Aleshin's car:

He'll need a BFG9000 to find his way to the front anyway, unless he's driving like a bat out of... er... hell.

[Prost1997T]

Could start raining in this second practice session. A lot of cloud cover overhead.

[Prost1997T]

[PiperPa42]

It doesn't seem like the Stadium Super Trucks were the best kind of preperation for Brabham.

[jonpollak]

Where's Lester Pigot on that blasted Fantasy League?
Jp

[Prost1997T]

It doesn't seem like the Stadium Super Trucks were the best kind of preperation for Brabham.

 

Considering Team Murray didn't test much, and a mechanical issue sidelined him for most of first practice, that's decent enough pace.

[Prost1997T]

Some heavy rain in the second half of the Indy Lights practice, lap times increasing into the 1:50s.

 

[Xpat]

Forecast for Saturday is a high of 55F/13C and a 20% chance of rain.

[Prost1997T]

Track is green for day 2, USF2000 qualifying is the first session:

 

Edited by Prost1997T, 13 May 2016 - 13:39.

[paulb]

Track is green for day 2, USF2000 qualifying is the first session:

 

Like the grass.

 

IndyRivals picks in. What did they do with Lester P?

[Risil]

Where's Lester Pigot on that blasted Fantasy League?
Jp

In prison?

[Prost1997T]

Watkins Glen is confirmed for September 2-4 according to the Indy Star. A press conference will announce it later today.

[Prost1997T]

According to the commentary discussion, Stoneman's drive in Lights is funded entirely by Andretti's own sponsor (Stellrecht). So far he's looking good in qualifying, currently 2nd to Felix Rosenqvist.

 

Final results:

 

Edited by Prost1997T, 13 May 2016 - 16:51.