testing, Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves, paddle shifters, Xtrac, Megaline, variable ratio steering, Zylon, Barber Motorsports Park
Safe, technically
system back to back with the old one at
Barber. “I ran the whole session in the end
without huff and puff. I really like it. It always
helps when you have a consistent car, or can
make yourself consistent.”
Although it has been referred to as “assisted
steering” by some, it’s a mechanical system
exactly as before, explains Mactaggart. The
pattern of the teeth on the steering rack is
different, and the pinion configuration is slightly
altered. The ratio changes through the range of
travel of the steering rack, so as a driver turns
into a corner more, the steering effort reduces.
While use of the paddle shifting system will
“The big
benefit
is the
system is
intelligent”
Les Mactaggart
32 IndyCarSeries 2007 winterspecial
be mandatory with the exception of the
Indianapolis 500, Mactaggart says the variable
ratio steering will be optional.
The third technical innovation for 2008 is the
bonded Zylon panels in the cockpit, a step that
Formula 1 and GP2 have already taken. Zylon is
a polymer manufactured by Toyoba Corporation
that has high tensile strength and flame
resistance. The intention is to reduce the risk of
cockpit penetration by debris in an accident.
Two other improvements are in the works,
but probably won’t be ready for 2008. One is
an attempt at making the cars a little quieter.
“We haven’t made enough progress to give a
definitive answer as to whether we’ll have it for
next year or not, but the development is
ongoing,” says Mactaggart. The other area
undergoing study is the seats, and the safety
aspect of driver position in the cockpit.
“The seat program is continuing,” relates
Mactaggart. “We’ve got a fairly intensive test
program at the moment. We’ve identified
some changes we need to make to the
structure of our test seating to make sure we
get more consistent results with our sled
testing. We hope some of the data we get in
the near future will give us information to
improve the structure of our seats.”
All these advancements are pointing toward
the next generation of IndyCar Series
machinery. The series has stated its intention of
(Top) Helio
Castroneves
tested the variable
ratio steering at
Barber, and
pronounced it
good. (Above)
Paddle shifters
apparently don’t
prevent brake
lockup…
going to an all-new car in the next few years,
and these improvements pave the way for the
technology to be applied to the next chassis.
“Obviously none of these components are
related,” says Mactaggart. “But we feel we
have a very reliable product, and incorporating
the gearshift now allows us to perfect it over
the next season, so when we introduce a new
car, it’s not a factor in terms of reliability. For
us, it’s stage introduction so we can control
cost and we can control the technical input.
We can monitor the effect of those parts
individually rather than have a whole new
package at once and deal with a multitude of
different problems.”
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