FORESEE Submits 2012 Indy Racing Design Proposal

With the recent discussions on the needs and wants from the Indy Racing League for a new vehicle that from 2012 will serve them well to improve their race category back into the limelight that it so well deservedly occupied 20-30 years ago, Foresee Car Design felt the urge to submit their proposal for this program as well. Here is their release information:

Mission Viejo, 3 March 2010.

FORESEE Car Design was recently made aware of the search for a new race car concept for the 2012 season of the Indy Racing League (IRL), to replace the current expensive vehicles. Experienced with racing series in Europe with a new LMP-A high end sports car series, and through our cooperation with Howe Racing in the US, we were keen on providing the IRL our insight into this.

Our research showed that the IndyRacing program was at its best when it was reasonably affordable for any team to enter, when it was within realistic possibilities for anyone to win races, irrespective of the team they were driving for, their age, their physique, their personal wealth. Given the right circumstances, anyone could beat the established drivers and teams and become victorious.

This has sadly left the IRL, but is still prevalent within the NASCAR series of races.

Our in depth research shows clearly that American racing fans love to see close racing, love to see wheel-to-wheel battles, and love to see the underdog win. THAT was why the enthusiasm was so big when Danica Patrick entered the series. THAT is what we feel needs to be brought back into the series.
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Honda CEO: F1 less relevant to Honda’s goals – “Poppycock!”

TOKYO (Reuters) – Formula One’s growing restrictions have made the sport less attractive and reduced Honda’s incentive to rejoin a series it abandoned due to the global economic downturn, the company’s new chief executive said Monday. Honda withdrew backing for its under-performing team last December, only to see the same team, now under the Brawn name and Mercedes-Benz power, turn the outfit into championship leaders, and Japan’s second largest automaker said it would consider a return once it had recovered financially.

“It was a real shame that we had to leave Formula One,” Takanobu Ito, who took over as chief executive last month, told a media gathering in Tokyo. “On the other hand, F1 is becoming less of a medium in which companies can test their various strengths and more of an event with mounting restrictions. “There’s little room for us to challenge new fields, so bearing in mind the current state of series, I don’t think we have the desire to return, even if the economy improves.”

What a load of poppycock, or pappekak as the original expression goes. Honda failed horribly over the last few years by obvious mismanagement of a group of very talented people. The same people were very capable to suddenly, without Honda’s expert knowledge, build a race-winning car, despite the upheaval of having Honda pull out at the last minute, having to look for a new engine supplier, and operating on a severly tight budget.
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Indy Car Testing Interviews with Dixon, Franchitti, Rahal, Kanaan and Danica Patrick

Dutchman Bobby D. enters Indy Racing series in spectacualr way

Robert Doornbos a.k.a. Bobby D., former F1 and Champ car series driver will this season enter as a rookie in the American Indy Racing series. Doornbos returns to the United States following a 2007 campaign in the Champ Car World Series that saw him record five podium finishes in his first six starts en route to third overall in the championship. In 2009 he joins Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, an operation that recorded two victories in its first full season in the IndyCar Series in 2008.

“When I made the move from Formula One to Champ Car in 2007, I had no knowledge of circuits, tires, drivers, engine, whatever of that series, and I had five podiums out of the first six races, so that was a motivation boost,” Doornbos said. “I think my attitude is the same for the IndyCar Series. The team contacted me because they know what I can do, and I’m here to do the best job I can. Of course I have respect for the ovals, there’s still a steep learning curve, but nothing to be worried about. The team is very strong, great results. I feel at home already.”
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