Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers might be despatched to mailbag@racer.com. We love listening to your feedback and opinions, however letters that embody a query usually tend to be printed. Questions obtained after 3pm ET every Monday will probably be saved for the next week.
Q: Do you could have any new data on the IndyCar Sequence online game that iRacing is creating for gaming consoles in addition to PC? It supposedly popping out in 2026, however I have not learn or heard something extra about it for the reason that announcement.
As you understand it has been 20 years for the reason that final IndyCar online game was launched, which is method too lengthy. I am hoping that the builders of the brand new recreation may need photographs or a trailer for it quickly and that loads of progress has been made.
It was nothing in need of miserable when the sport that Motorsport Video games was contracted to create and end fell aside.
David Colquitt
MARSHALL PRUETT: Unsure I noticed it as miserable. Extra of a dwelling right down to expectations, since all people who knew it was a horrible alternative informed Penske Leisure it might fail, after which it did. I reached out to the sequence they usually inform me the discharge timeline remains to be good and to search for one thing within the second half of 2026.
Q: My first query issues Oliver Askew. I simply noticed that he has re-signed for a reserve function with Andretti in Method E. Is there any probability we’ll see him again behind the wheel in a race someday, whether or not in Method E, IMSA, or elsewhere? Oliver was an actual expertise who by no means had the chance to exhibit it at a excessive stage, and after three years with out racing, a comeback appears not possible.
My second query issues Dale Coyne. I’ve learn some articles saying that Honda could be contemplating inserting Tsunoda in IndyCar in 2026 if he had been dropped by Purple Bull. Do you could have any data on this? Alongside the identical traces, Purple Bull driver Ayumu Iwasa has simply been topped Tremendous Method champion; may we see him in IndyCar with Dale Coyne, additionally by means of Honda?
Yannick
MP: On Coyne and Tsunoda, you may need observed we by no means talked about it in any of our foolish season items, and that’s as a result of it was a nothingburger. If Coyne needs to rent Iwasa, he’ll, however as Honda is getting into the final yr of its IndyCar engine provide contract, it isn’t going out and providing groups $8-10 million to run somebody.
Agreed on Askew. Tons of expertise, however it appears like he’s been misplaced to the passage of time and relevance inside IndyCar as a younger expertise to pursue. He’s the 2019 Indy Lights champion, who had one IndyCar season in 2020 with Arrow McLaren that went sideways, which might imply he ought to nonetheless be within the combine as an choice, however he’s years behind Linus Lundqvist, the 2022 Indy Lights champion, who did 1.5 seasons throughout Meyer Shank and Chip Ganassi, the place issues did go nicely.
In case you’re purchasing for younger title-winning expertise, there’s a youthful and newer mannequin with extra shine standing in entrance of Askew, which is the principle downside. However the issue has nothing to do with Oliver’s capabilities.
Q: My query is concerning the Genesis LMDh program. We all know the 2026 WEC driver staff (and it’s fairly a stout one), however has there been something rumored concerning the IMSA one? I think about there could be a few carryover drivers (like Cadillac) for the reason that schedules appear nicely balanced sufficient {that a} mixed season is generally potential (Lengthy Seaside/Imola however). Have you ever heard something about drivers who could be introduced in for the IMSA marketing campaign in 2027?
Duncan, Ottawa
MP: I haven’t began to consider the 2027 IMSA half, however I’m anticipating a few of the WEC roster to get pulled throughout, and never simply on double responsibility. Derani stands out as a reputation that followers know, and comparable with Jaminet. If I’m attempting to make a first-time splash on the highest stage of sports activities automobile racing within the U.S., I’m going to lean on champions who made their names in IMSA. I’d additionally look to the reserve roles for 2026 as being primed for race seats in 2027 as nicely.
Which drivers from the 2026 Genesis FIA WEC line-up are within the body to hold their invisible contact over to IMSA in 2027? Picture by way of Genesis Magma Racing
Q: I’ve come to appreciate the issues most race followers need (I assume?) within the IndyCar broadcast simply aren’t going to occur. The query is whether or not that’s due to price or philosophy. Each? A couple of gadgets like extra cameras are cost-dependent, however the place these cameras are positioned is a philosophy.
- Observe sector instances evaluating a number of drivers
- Yellow, inexperienced, purple track-sector coding
- Audible driver and staff microphones
- Pit cease clocks
- Race technique that features predictive perception
- Cameras on extra automobiles
- Extra ghost automobile
- Sluggish-motion replay captured with excessive frame-rate cameras
- Digital camera placement philosophy. A variety of years in the past F1 shifted by inserting cameras decrease, retaining some stationary as automobiles cross, and shifting others left to proper to imitate how our eyes comply with automobiles. The result’s a stronger feeling of pace and a deeper admiration for what these drivers are doing. Even in social content material from groups and drivers, the sensation of pace jumps off the display screen.
I get it, good issues price cash. It is unrealistic to anticipate an F1 broadcast. These races can solely help a sure stage of monetary dedication, however does that imply enchancment is not potential?
Matt
MP: I take pleasure in lots of the gadgets you’ve listed as options provided in F1 broadcasts. I additionally respect the huge manufacturing funds F1 has at its disposal, which is what you’d anticipate from the world’s second hottest sport. As you famous, the identical stage of funds wouldn’t be carved out for the second or third hottest regional racing sequence, which is the place IndyCar falls domestically behind NASCAR and probably F1.
However enhancements are at all times an choice. IndyCar’s TV content material has, for greater than a decade throughout a variety of broadcasters, been missing with the in-race evaluation a part of the broadcasts. Thank goodness for Hinch, who does his finest to be a lead commentator, driver analyst, and to drill into the technique facet when potential. All the gadgets you’ve instructed on amplifying that half – giving smarter followers extra information to do the maths or work the technique on their very own, which is one thing F1 has completely fostered – are lengthy overdue.
We as soon as lived in a time when viewing was a passive factor, however expectations have risen, particularly with newer and youthful followers who’ve grown up on trendy F1, the place there’s a gradual barrage of information given to coach or arm viewers with what’s wanted to do extra than simply watch zoomy automobiles go round for our leisure.
Q: Have you ever heard what HP ranges will appear like with the brand new 2.4 liter engines? And is the goal weight lack of the automobile anticipated to be round 80-100 lbs?
Joe
MP: We’re speaking about targets at this stage, and it’s 800hp to start out. The present 2.2s are good for 750hp or so, and that’s at a crazy-high stage of stress. I’d put a beginning vary of 750-800hp, which isn’t as large of a stress, because the doubtless debut for the two.4s. Sure, the purpose is to take 80-100lb off the automobile and in the event that they’re profitable, many of the discount will come from the again half of the automobile by means of lighter hybrid and transmission componentry.
Q: Have you ever heard if the WWTR race will happen on Sunday evening once more? I believe that was my favourite race of the yr.
Have Fox and IndyCar mentioned the opportunity of weeknight prime time races? That could possibly be a strategy to probably lengthen the season into soccer season with out going face to face with the NFL on Sundays.
Bob
MP: The schedule launch from IndyCar stated WWTR and Nashville will probably be underneath the lights, so sure, nighttime racing is what’s deliberate. I’m listening to tune-in instances from FOX for all of the races are imminent. I’m certain the idea of weeknight races has been broached, however I’ve heard nothing to counsel something is occurring within the close to time period.
Q: Robin Miller and I had been longtime buddies. We shared a mutual ardour for IndyCar racing from childhood by means of our grownup years. We every had been blessed and lucky to have careers within the sport we beloved. I appeared ahead to and loved my stimulating discussions with Robin.
Certainly one of our many dialogue gadgets was Robin’s ‘IndyCar Mount Rushmore’. Robin’s nominees had been AJ, Mario, Parnelli, and Dan Gurney. Robin was at all times anxious to clarify his rationale for his nominees. He would additionally present his causes for why different drivers didn’t make his high 4. His background and his information base supplied complete insights to help his reasoning.
Did you and he have discussions about his Mount Rushmore you can share, and did you agree together with his nominees?
Steve, Chapel Hill, NC
MP: I used to be one in every of possibly 10 individuals in attendance for the filming of Robin’s Mount Rushmore video at IMS Productions again in 2011, which was phenomenal. The one disappointment is that Foyt refused to indicate up as a result of Mario was there – this was earlier than they grew to become BFFs. Listening to Robin curse him out over the telephone simply earlier than filming started whereas attempting to goad him into participating within the dialog was pure gold.
I’ve at all times beloved the spirit behind Robin’s Mount Rushmore, and it’s loaded with a ton of sentimentality. We spoke about it or the principle characters usually, and the entire reasoning behind the 4, from their on-track excellence to their technical improvements, to their uplifting of the game’s profile, to their longevity, make all 4 the right selections for his Mount Rushmore. But it surely’s not the Mount Rushmore of IndyCar. All of us have our personal.
Very a lot a case of the 4 being particular to the time Robin got here into the game; he was 12 when A.J. received his first 500, 14 when Rufus received, and 20 when Mario received. Our mutual hero, Dan Gurney, didn’t win, however was one of many biggest to complete second. All of them had been the largest stars of the Sixties, a part of the Seventies for some, and A.J. and Mario continued to share that crown into the Eighties and Nineties. Take no matter stage of recognition Pato has at this time, multiply it by 100, and that’s who Robin’s Mount Rushmore had been to IndyCar and the Indy 500 again then.
Inevitably, our first heroes are normally those we maintain onto and hail as GOATs for the remainder of our lives. I grew up within the CART period and the unique IMSA GTP period. Guess which two eras are my favorites the place I’ll combat anybody who says they aren’t the best? Identical for newer followers who grew up in a time the place Dixon, de Ferran, Castroneves, Tracy, Bourdais, Franchitti, Hornish, Danica, and so forth had been the largest offers.
Again to the checklist. Foyt’s an automated in any period for IndyCar’s Mount Rushmore, and so is Rick Mears. Mario definitely belongs. Juan Pablo Montoya received a single championship and two 500s, however I don’t care concerning the title or the second Speedway victory. What he did at Indy in 2000 alone is worthy of consideration for plopping his large face on the mountain. Most crushing show of dominance I’ve ever seen; toyed with the sphere for 500 miles. He doesn’t measure up in lots of the classes or match the rationales Robin used to outline his 4, however I’ll fortunately make him my fourth. Take that man again in time and I can’t consider anybody he couldn’t beat.
You’ll be able to’t go improper with Andretti, Foyt, and Mears. All winners at Indy and champions many instances over in IndyCar. Like the sport present Wheel of Fortune, these three are the RSTLNE for everybody to start out from whereas fixing the puzzle. You’ll be able to possibly drop one in every of them, however shouldn’t, and the fourth is very subjective and doubtless comes from the period you fell in love with IndyCar and the five hundred.
What about Mauri Rose? Uncle Bobby? Wilbur Shaw? Tommy Milton? Huge Al? Dario? Helio? I’ll guess there are many followers who imagine Newgarden is the GOAT, they usually aren’t improper. For them, Josef’s their life’s equal of a Foyt or Mears.
Because it’s December and the largest information we have now for the time being is of Sting Ray Robb returning to his staff, I’d like to see your Mount Rushmores and rationales, so please ship them in.
Q: Kudos to J.R’s proposed Blackbird! I absolutely agree that there’s method an excessive amount of emphasis on aerodynamics in at this time’s race automobile design. I’ve for years thought that innovation has been stymied by the elevated guidelines, and simplification can be overwhelming welcomed.
My strategies for F1, (and I believe IndyCar, as nicely), are easy:
Rule 1: The whole automobile should match inside a field X’ X Y’ X Z’, (all TBD)
Rule 2: No portion of the physique of the automobile might be any wider than three toes.
Rule 3: Any engine configuration could also be used however, the whole air consumption could also be no giant than X (tbd)
Rule 4: Solely road authorized tires could also be used. (Any make/mannequin)
Rule 5: Solely metal/forged iron brake discs could also be used.
In any other case, allow them to design and construct no matter they need, so long as it matches within the field! As might be seen, it opens up innovation, places much less emphasis on aero and restricts engines to only how a lot air they’ll suck in.
Speeds are routinely restricted by road tires which additionally opens it as much as all producers.
Metal brakes, restricted space and road tires places the efficiency again within the fingers of the drivers.
As it’s now, the producers are solely involved with successful the Constructers’ Championship. The followers are solely within the Drivers Championship. An enormous battle of curiosity!
Alan Lane, Leesburg, FL
MP: Fascinating strategy. Primarily, let F1 and IndyCar have at it, open up all types of freedoms, make a lot of energy, champion creativity and innovation, after which poop throughout these issues by limiting the automobiles to tip-toeing round on road tires?
It’s like eradicating all limitations on performance-enhancing medication in baseball, letting a brand new period of freakishly giant and quick gamers develop, and forcing them to make use of pencils as a substitute of full-size bats to attempt to hit residence runs. In case you’re going to take the chains off of one thing, lower all of them.
CHRIS MEDLAND: As a lot as I’d have an interest to see the end result underneath these guidelines, it wouldn’t be something wherever close to the efficiency of what F1 needs to be, or perhaps a present IndyCar or F2 automobile. Aero and tires work collectively (together with the brakes) for the immense cornering and stopping efficiency, but in addition to get the facility down, and vastly lowering all of that will create a lot slower automobiles.
F1 is on this very powerful place of desirous to be the very best performing class when it comes to automobile tempo, but in addition nonetheless open to innovation and design, and also you’re proper that the 2 don’t completely match hand-in-hand. However with the foundations you give, you’d doubtless find yourself with a transparent path to go down when it comes to engine configuration and automobile measurement, which might be extraordinarily costly to search out out for anybody who didn’t land on it right away, and producers/groups wouldn’t join.
As cool as the nice previous days had been when it comes to fewer guidelines and extra selection, in addition they noticed races received by laps or minutes, and I’m unsure any fan needs to see that.
Subsequent season is definitely a extremely fascinating one, as a result of the unconventional change in aero guidelines will imply very completely different efficiency home windows, however underneath the fee cap I’m to see if it makes for a better area. And even when it doesn’t, the current floor impact guidelines, coupled with the brand new laws, will probably be broadly diversified information to tell the place F1 goes subsequent to attempt to enhance racing (which is a unending problem).
I’d additionally argue that successful the Drivers’ Championship remains to be the precedence to most groups which have an opportunity due to the kudos and protection it will get that will virtually outweigh the prize cash of successful the Constructors’, though after all they ideally need to win each!
Q: It’s nice to see you on the F1TV broadcasts. I’m questioning if the AppleTV F1 broadcast staff is taking form? I believe the F1TV lineup is excellent – Alex Jacques, Jolyon Palmer, David Coulthard, Ruth Buscombe, James Hinchcliffe, Lawrence Barretto, Laura Winter, Sam Collins, you, et al. Will Apple go along with this crew, the Sky staff, or another choice?
Tom Hinshaw, Santa Barbara, CA
CM: Too form, Tom! Money is within the submit… All jokes apart, as I perceive it viewers will get two choices. F1TV will grow to be solely obtainable by means of AppleTV in America, however the full Professional model will probably be included as a part of the AppleTV package deal, so there’s no further price. You’re saving cash in case you had been an present AppleTV and F1TV subscriber, and in case you weren’t then you definately get F1TV and all of AppleTV’s choices in a single.
The bit I’m not sure about but however imagine to be occurring, is that Apple are additionally more likely to take the Sky protection in the identical method that ESPN did. So in that case, viewers could have the choice of each units of protection to take their choose.
Longer-term, I hope (and never simply selfishly) that Apple ship some form of their very own choice, too, that sees actual funding within the providing that’s bespoke to followers right here within the U.S. As said on one other current Mailbag query, by that I imply chasing one of the best skills to be centered on an American output, both instead of or alongside the prevailing choices. However I’m informed that received’t be occurring in 2026.
If Apple picks up Sky protection in addition to F1TV, American followers could have two choices to select from. Simon Galloway/Getty Photos
Q: By the point the Mailbag drops I’m certain you may have written about this Chris, nevertheless I’m ready for the autopsy out of the McLaren faceplant.
I’ve to offer credit score to Karun Chandhok for his on the spot evaluation. He puzzled if McLaren not desirous to drawback both driver finally deprived each. They need to have break up their technique. What a prepare wreck. Can McLaren get out of their very own method? Verstappen ought to have been eradicated 5 races in the past.
Ryan, West Michigan
CM: Yup, that positively looks like the issue McLaren have now, Ryan. They’re attempting so exhausting to maintain it honest and equal between their two drivers (which they really did do in Qatar) that they’re leaving the door open to Max Verstappen within the meantime.
A part of me could be very grateful for it, as a result of we have now the title decider between three drivers now, and credit score does must go to Purple Bull for taking each alternative obtainable (maybe besides Brazil, the place there was slightly extra on the desk). However the different a part of me thinks it is going to be vastly damaging for McLaren if one in every of Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri don’t win the title.
And Chandhok is spot on that each bought deprived, with the extra downside you can by no means drawback each equally. It price them each one place – which sounds equal – however it price Norris three factors (15 for P3, 12 for P4) and Piastri seven (25 for P1, 18 for P2), in addition to a win that will have strengthened his possibilities of taking the title on depend again if ending stage on factors with anybody. As an alternative all three now have seven victories, and Norris wins the tiebreaker on second locations because it stands.
Splitting technique was not the way in which to go, although, as I’ll reply beneath…
Q: I’m certain that is one in every of many questions on McLaren’s technique blunder. Can somebody touch upon a break up technique? Myself, I’d have pitted Oscar and hoped Max would have adopted him in.
Moreover, how do we all know if McLaren pitted on lap seven whether or not others would comply with them in?
Steve
CM: These two questions are properly interlinked, as a result of a break up technique would nonetheless have been the improper strategy to go. All that will have carried out is drawback one driver, moderately than each. You would argue that’s higher than two, however it’s nonetheless the improper name and creates simply as many complications for a staff attempting to offer its two drivers equal probability to win the title.
The truth that each automobile stopped underneath that Security Automotive interval reveals how clear a call it was to everybody else. Rival groups all say it was apparent to them, since you achieve a lot race time, on a monitor the place overtaking is so troublesome. The gamble to remain out had such little probability of paying off that all of them knew coming in at that second made probably the most sense.
So I do imagine everybody would nonetheless have stopped – together with Verstappen who would have been defending P2 over Norris because it was what he wanted to remain within the title combat – and due to this fact you wanted to pit each of them, not only one. Break up technique wasn’t masking your choices, it was simply hurting the motive force you didn’t pit, in any other case you’d have seen different groups do it.
Q: Did McLaren not perceive the 25 lap tire rule and assume they wanted pit on lap eight? Why did not one of the groups exterior the highest 10 pit on lap eight for his or her second automobile for enabling the undercut?
Will, Indy
CM: Nope, McLaren understood, however they didn’t assume everybody would come into the pits and due to this fact they’d have dropped again out into site visitors (as the sphere was nonetheless comparatively closed up on lap seven) on a circuit that’s powerful to overhaul on. The explanations everybody else pit is as a result of the circuit is hard to overhaul on, so a tire offset is way much less essential.
Going one lap longer would truly be an overcut – utilizing your tempo in your in-lap in clear air to get forward of a automobile, moderately than your out-lap on recent tires – however there’s no probability of an overcut underneath Security Automotive, since you’re restricted in pace. You’ll be able to’t go faster than these within the pits due to that restrict, so you may’t use additional tempo to overcut one other automobile in that occasion.
In case you imply that will open up an undercut or overcut probability on lap 32/33 in case you had delayed by a lap to make your first cease, although, it’s solely more likely to be an undercut as a result of the automobile stopping second can be doing so on tires on the finish of their life. The 25-lap tire rule meant you couldn’t pull the set off a lot earlier to undercut, however for anybody ready till lap eight to pit they’d have simply opened themselves as much as be undercut by everybody who got here in on lap seven.
THE FINAL WORD
From Robin Miller’s Mailbag, 4 December, 2013
Q: I have not missed an Indianapolis 500 since 1970 and needed your opinion on Juan Pablo Montoya’s drive when he received the race. [ED: In 2000. This letter pre-dates JPM’s second win in 2015]. I do know he had an elite automobile, however the way in which JPM drove and the place he put it within the corners and on passes was the most effective drives I can keep in mind. Is my reminiscence hazy?
Fred Cunningham, Simpsonville, SC
ROBIN MILLER: Let me provide the finest perspective I can consider to reply your query. Rick Mears was recognizing for Jason Leffler at Indy in 2000 and after the race he stated the one time he thought JPM hustled the automobile all day was when Buddy Lazier bought inside placing distance. Then Montoya vanished in site visitors. It was a clinic and even bought Mr. Foyt’s admiration: “That Montereier is a helluva driver,” stated the Indy legend afterwards.
