ChrisB
02-26-03, 01:25 PM
OK, here goes... :)
<edited at author's request>
Let's face it... to most fans, chassis just isn't something that matters much. I really don't see a lot of "chassis fans" in the way there are fans for the engine manufacturer marquee. There aren't many "Reynard fans" or "Dallara fans" like we see "Honda fans" or "Ford fans". Chassis are generally a commodity that most fans take for granted. Nascar has already figured this out, and commoditized their chassis with templates. Fans there don't cheer for the "Monte Carlo" or "Intrepid", they cheer for "Chevy" or "Dodge".
Historically in American formula/OW cars, one chassis eventually tends to overwhelmingly dominate, and since that's what's gonna happen *ANYWAY*, why not embrace it in a way that it can be worked with? Spec a chassis, one that's well tweaked for good competition (IE: more undertray, less wings, etc) and be done with it. Costs will plummet, competition will improve, and nobody will care that everyone is in the exact same Lola or Dallara (or Swift or AAR or Reynard or whoever wins the contracts). All the fans pay attention to is the engine label (or drivers) anyway.
The arms race to make chassis faster (only to be needed to be slowed down some other way) is expensive, and not worth the miniscule attention chassis development gets from fans. The R&D money that would have gone toward making the chassis faster can now go to making it safer. There would be no more of guys like Carl Haas having the best stuff before everyone else. Chassis freezes don't work... because the one chassis that gets it right the first time is the winner... the others must wait until the next cycle. Open supply rules for upgrade kits don't work either... because of the endless need to upgrade to stay quick. Spec the chassis and be done with it.
Besides, chassis makers don't promote a series the way that engine manufacturers do. It's still in the interest of both series to have as many engine marquees as possible (which I would hope CART will do in '05).
There would still be innovation. The chassis could be revised on a 2 or 3 year cycle based on things learned on-track or in the lab. But the innovation emphasis would shift from making the chassis faster to being more safe and efficient. Aesthetics could also be considered... there's no need to have big intakes or winglets all over just to gain a competitive edge... because if everyone is in the same chassis, it's a wash. The design of the car could become simpler and more elegant.
There's also an extra angle for the IRL... the sprint-car drivers thing. An Indy car could be designed which puts more emphasis on the things sprint drivers are good at, like mechanical setup (shocks, bars, springs, etc) rather than aero.
One more thing to consider... apparently F1 is down to only *10 teams* for this year, and Max is considering allowing customer chassis to help flesh out the field. F1 is stepping down a notch and is no longer going to be the "everyone must construct their own car" series. Reality is hitting, and ya gotta do what ya gotta do to survive. I don't see anything demeaning about CART or IRL becoming a spec single chassis series.
<edited at author's request>
Let's face it... to most fans, chassis just isn't something that matters much. I really don't see a lot of "chassis fans" in the way there are fans for the engine manufacturer marquee. There aren't many "Reynard fans" or "Dallara fans" like we see "Honda fans" or "Ford fans". Chassis are generally a commodity that most fans take for granted. Nascar has already figured this out, and commoditized their chassis with templates. Fans there don't cheer for the "Monte Carlo" or "Intrepid", they cheer for "Chevy" or "Dodge".
Historically in American formula/OW cars, one chassis eventually tends to overwhelmingly dominate, and since that's what's gonna happen *ANYWAY*, why not embrace it in a way that it can be worked with? Spec a chassis, one that's well tweaked for good competition (IE: more undertray, less wings, etc) and be done with it. Costs will plummet, competition will improve, and nobody will care that everyone is in the exact same Lola or Dallara (or Swift or AAR or Reynard or whoever wins the contracts). All the fans pay attention to is the engine label (or drivers) anyway.
The arms race to make chassis faster (only to be needed to be slowed down some other way) is expensive, and not worth the miniscule attention chassis development gets from fans. The R&D money that would have gone toward making the chassis faster can now go to making it safer. There would be no more of guys like Carl Haas having the best stuff before everyone else. Chassis freezes don't work... because the one chassis that gets it right the first time is the winner... the others must wait until the next cycle. Open supply rules for upgrade kits don't work either... because of the endless need to upgrade to stay quick. Spec the chassis and be done with it.
Besides, chassis makers don't promote a series the way that engine manufacturers do. It's still in the interest of both series to have as many engine marquees as possible (which I would hope CART will do in '05).
There would still be innovation. The chassis could be revised on a 2 or 3 year cycle based on things learned on-track or in the lab. But the innovation emphasis would shift from making the chassis faster to being more safe and efficient. Aesthetics could also be considered... there's no need to have big intakes or winglets all over just to gain a competitive edge... because if everyone is in the same chassis, it's a wash. The design of the car could become simpler and more elegant.
There's also an extra angle for the IRL... the sprint-car drivers thing. An Indy car could be designed which puts more emphasis on the things sprint drivers are good at, like mechanical setup (shocks, bars, springs, etc) rather than aero.
One more thing to consider... apparently F1 is down to only *10 teams* for this year, and Max is considering allowing customer chassis to help flesh out the field. F1 is stepping down a notch and is no longer going to be the "everyone must construct their own car" series. Reality is hitting, and ya gotta do what ya gotta do to survive. I don't see anything demeaning about CART or IRL becoming a spec single chassis series.