The consequences of tight engineering rules

INDIANAPOLIS--Some race aficionados here at the IndianapolisMotor Speedway bemoan the incredibly tight engineering constraints place onteams.

For example, as Chuck Murray writes for Design News:

This year, all Indyteams will use the same chassis from Dallara Automobili. And they'll all employan engine from one of three manufacturers -- Chevrolet, Honda, or Lotus. Enginedisplacement, electronics, aerodynamics, batteries, dashboards, and countlessother system configurations are spelled out for the racing teams in a 203-pagePDF document called the "2012 IZOD IndyCar Series Rulebook."

[Learn more about the Indy 500 at the Littelfuse Speed2Designsite.]


Let 'em compete

The purist argues that teams should be allowed to customizetheir cars to deliver the fastest vehicle to the track with the most chance ofwinning, regardless of cost.

But that's not how it works. As we learned on our Drive forInnovation at Elkhart Lake, Wisc, last year, building a level playing field forracing teams is important, even if it limits innovation. But part of thatimportance has little to do with engineering or race-day preparations. It hasto do with sponsorships, according to James "Sulli" Sullivan (below,making a point), a principal with SH Racing, a commercial partner of KV Racing.


Tight engineering rules "allow companies likeLittelfuse and Mouser to participate," Sullivan said in a pit rowinterview this weekend. In fact, a number of electronics-industry companies aresponsoring Tony Kanaan's car (KV Racing) here at Indy, including Littelfuse,Mouser, TTI, Kemet, Molex, Bosch, and Murata.

"If you don't have that (tight rules), you end up withFormula 1 and $300 million budgets where people are doing whatever they can toget the advantage," Sullivan said. "The 380,000 people here Sundaydon't know whether a car doing 237 mph is a spec car or a custom car. At theend of the day, this is a form of entertainment. If you can do it for $6million rather than $300 million that's what it's all about."

At the end of the day, it's sort of ironic that limitinginnovation in electronics actually allows electronics companies a greaterpresence in racing events.

 
Related posts:

Indy electronics drive cars to be lighter and faster

Indy 500 drivers sweat the tech details

Indy engines still pack a 700HP punch

At Indy 500, rules make it tough to gain competitive edge

Slideshow: Long Beach Grand prix

Win a trip to the Indy 500