Sato in Indycar

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 21 Feb 2010, 12:06

Henrique wrote:Look what I found: http://www.playseat.com/en/takuma-sato-seat

Just in case someone misses Sato in F1...

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 21 Feb 2010, 15:15

Henrique wrote:Look what I found: http://www.playseat.com/en/takuma-sato-seat

So Taku still drives for Super Aguri and they are sponsering A1 GP. It's got Reject written all over it...

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 13 Mar 2010, 14:40

Sorry for resurrecting dead threads, but I've found a noticeable piece of news:
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2010/03/13/s ... h-indycar/

f1fanatic.co.uk wrote:Takuma Sato will drive a Lotus-branded IndyCar in certain rounds of this year’s IndyCar championship. The car will be run by KV Racing and is set for its first outing at St Petersburg in Florida in two weeks’ time. The series holds its first round at a new street circuit in Sao Paolo tomorrow.

According to Lotus the car will be entered as a “Lotus-Cosworth”. At present Honda are the exclusive supplier of engines to the IndyCar championship. Every one of Sato’s 90 starts came at the wheel of a Honda-powered car

Interesting indeed; let's see if Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli get a bit faster now...

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 13 Mar 2010, 15:34

Klon wrote:Sorry for resurrecting dead threads, but I've found a noticeable piece of news:
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2010/03/13/s ... h-indycar/

f1fanatic.co.uk wrote:Takuma Sato will drive a Lotus-branded IndyCar in certain rounds of this year’s IndyCar championship. The car will be run by KV Racing and is set for its first outing at St Petersburg in Florida in two weeks’ time. The series holds its first round at a new street circuit in Sao Paolo tomorrow.

According to Lotus the car will be entered as a “Lotus-Cosworth”. At present Honda are the exclusive supplier of engines to the IndyCar championship. Every one of Sato’s 90 starts came at the wheel of a Honda-powered car

Interesting indeed; let's see if Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli get a bit faster now...

If this is true, and they run the same livery as the F1 team, then this would be epic!

P_Friesacher · Post by **P_Friesacher** » 13 Mar 2010, 17:04

Also extremely rejectworty: The idea to use the Sambadrom in Sao Paulo as racetrack for the IRL - no grip at all. I urge you to watch the Qualifying in an hour on indycar.com - you have to see to rejectfulnes of this yourself to fully appreciate it.

midgrid · Post by **midgrid** » 13 Mar 2010, 17:16

Link to photo

Lotus colours on an IndyCar...

Warren Hughes · Post by **Warren Hughes** » 13 Mar 2010, 17:20

That car looks frankly awful.

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 13 Mar 2010, 17:57

P_Friesacher wrote:Also extremely rejectworty: The idea to use the Sambadrom in Sao Paulo as racetrack for the IRL - no grip at all. I urge you to watch the Qualifying in an hour on indycar.com - you have to see to rejectfulnes of this yourself to fully appreciate it.

As mentioned in a previous topic, the São Paulo street race was conceived in a rush. They wanted to do a race here, but there is no race track or another street circuit suitable for IndyCar. So they decided to do it in the streets of São Paulo, because it is the only city with the resources for such a rush job. With 4 months to the opening, there were 3 choices for track layout, and believe it or not, this was the best choice in terms of low impact to the city trouble traffic.

In 4 months, São Paulo did the best it could be done, but performed no miracles. The sambadrome track is supposed to be slippery so the Carnival wagons can slide through it. So it will be slippery. Tony Kanaan has also lashed out at Tony Cotman, organizer, saying that he is no racer and should never be allowed to take racing decisions. The circuit is indeed way too bumpy and somewhat dangerous.

However, all these problems will seem meaningless if rain comes down on the track tomorrow. It has been forecast as a likely possibility for heavy rain to fall down. The drainage system is practically useless. That region of the city was plagued by daily storms in January that invariably flooded the "Marginal Tietê" avenue that lends the main straight of the track. I hope it doesn't rain because it will be a disaster and an embarassment for my city.

P_Friesacher · Post by **P_Friesacher** » 13 Mar 2010, 18:06

I am a big fan of your country and I have always tremendously enjoyed the F1 races in São Paulo. I was very happy when I heard that there would be an Indycar Race in Brazil and I was really looking forward to it. And I also wish you a dry raceday tomorrow.

But one has to admit buliding the start-finish straight for on open wheel series this fast on a track that is supposed to be slippery is a bit rejectworthy, isn't it? It's not your or your city's fault, though. I would hold the Indycar organizers responsible because they should know on which surfaces their cars are able to run safely and on which they aren't.

Post by **Nuppiz** » 13 Mar 2010, 18:19

midgrid wrote:Link to photo

Lotus colours on an IndyCar...

Not half bad, if you ask me. I've seen much worse cars.

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 13 Mar 2010, 18:22

midgrid wrote:Link to photo

Lotus colours on an IndyCar...

I find it more beautiful than the F1 livery.

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 13 Mar 2010, 18:27

P_Friesacher wrote:I am a big fan of your country and I have always tremendously enjoyed the F1 races in São Paulo. I was very happy when I heard that there would be an Indycar Race in Brazil and I was really looking forward to it. And I also wish you a dry raceday tomorrow.

But one has to admit buliding the start-finish straight for on open wheel series this fast on a track that is supposed to be slippery is a bit rejectworthy, isn't it? It's not your or your city's fault, though. I would hold the Indycar organizers responsible because they should know on which surfaces their cars are able to run safely and on which they aren't.

It is rejectworthy, no doubt. Technically speaking, I think the Campo de Marte airfield track would be the best option, but too many helicopters and small aircraft use that airfield and it would cause many problems.

Right now, they have postponed to sunday the qualification to attempt to fix the problem in the straight. It seems to me like a hail mary pass. And I will be praying until the end of the race for no rain. Remember the 2003 Brazilian F1 GP!

ADx_Wales · Post by **ADx_Wales** » 13 Mar 2010, 19:54

rffp wrote:
P_Friesacher wrote:I am a big fan of your country and I have always tremendously enjoyed the F1 races in São Paulo. I was very happy when I heard that there would be an Indycar Race in Brazil and I was really looking forward to it. And I also wish you a dry raceday tomorrow.

But one has to admit buliding the start-finish straight for on open wheel series this fast on a track that is supposed to be slippery is a bit rejectworthy, isn't it? It's not your or your city's fault, though. I would hold the Indycar organizers responsible because they should know on which surfaces their cars are able to run safely and on which they aren't.

It is rejectworthy, no doubt. Technically speaking, I think the Campo de Marte airfield track would be the best option, but too many helicopters and small aircraft use that airfield and it would cause many problems.

Right now, they have postponed to sunday the qualification to attempt to fix the problem in the straight. It seems to me like a hail mary pass. And I will be praying until the end of the race for no rain. Remember the 2003 Brazilian F1 GP!

Oh dear, its A1 China all over again.

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 13 Mar 2010, 20:46

BTW, speaking of Sato. Taku, you got beaten up by a girl in the rookie contest! Oh dear...

bduddy · Post by **bduddy** » 13 Mar 2010, 22:52

Practice results: http://www.indycar.com/var/assets/indyc ... -pcomb.pdf
Sato 18th; fellow rookie Simona de Silvestro 17th. And F1 reject Justin Wilson 4th.

Here's an example of what the front straight was like... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPhJ7jPqqSI

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 13 Mar 2010, 23:04

bduddy wrote:
Here's an example of what the front straight was like... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPhJ7jPqqSI

That's similar to watching the McLarens round the new section of Bahrain...

LucaPacchiarini · Post by **LucaPacchiarini** » 13 Mar 2010, 23:09

I'm happy to see that Simona De Silvestro is the fastest rookie in practice....

She is NOT there beacuse she's a girl, unlike MIlka Duno.... Simona is actually a pretty good driver

LucaPacchiarini · Post by **LucaPacchiarini** » 13 Mar 2010, 23:10

edit... double posting

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 14 Mar 2010, 00:07

Tonight, the organizers of the IndyCar race brought this machine to make dents in the straight originated from the Sambadrome. According to them, this will take away the smoothness of that part of the track and hopefully solve the problem.

The organizers were warned by the local roads department that the Sambadrome straight would need to be recapped, but the Indycar version of Tilke, Tony Cotman, refused to do that. Antonio Pizzonia also warned that, some years ago, Williams tried to make a demonstration there and failed due to the smoothness of the track. The local Stock Car organisation also tried something familiar and got the same results. IndyCar guys must think that they are immune to that.

As for the rookie competition, I got to see de Silvestro on the track and she raced quite neatly on the track, smooth style and good control on the Sambadrome straight. Let's see how she fares on the race itself.

P_Friesacher · Post by **P_Friesacher** » 14 Mar 2010, 00:16

Let's hope what they are doing is enough and that there won't be rain tomorrow. I like the rest of the course, by the way: It is a bit bumpy, but it doesn't seem much worse than some other tracks Indycar races on. Also I like the long backstraight which should work really well for overtaking (let's just hope the runoff is sufficient!). From you comments I gather that you are following the race from the grandstands. Always wanted to attend an Indycar race, too, but the chances of American single seaters returning to Europe seem extremely small after CART's unsuccessful attempts a few years ago. So AutoGP will have to suffice for the near future (if they ever start selling tickets, that is...)
Have fun there! And let's also hope Sato will be able to improve tomorrow...

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 14 Mar 2010, 00:35

P_Friesacher wrote:Let's hope what they are doing is enough and that there won't be rain tomorrow. I like the rest of the course, by the way: It is a bit bumpy, but it doesn't seem much worse than some other tracks Indycar races on. Also I like the long backstraight which should work really well for overtaking (let's just hope the runoff is sufficient!). From you comments I gather that you are following the race from the grandstands. Always wanted to attend an Indycar race, too, but the chances of American single seaters returning to Europe seem extremely small after CART's unsuccessful attempts a few years ago. So AutoGP will have to suffice for the near future (if they ever start selling tickets, that is...)
Have fun there! And let's also hope Sato will be able to improve tomorrow...

Unfortunately (or fortunately) not, I am "grounded" at home with my newborn daughter!

But there has been a pretty decent local TV coverage of the event.
I hope to be in the grandstands in 2011 though! It will be quite neat.

eytl · Post by **eytl** » 14 Mar 2010, 06:43

rffp wrote:I am "grounded" at home with my newborn daughter!

Congratulations on the daughter! There is joy to be had in being grounded for that reason!

Keirdre · Post by **Keirdre** » 14 Mar 2010, 10:27

watka wrote:
Wizzie wrote:Sato will be this year's Indy 500 winner. You heard it here first

Seriously though good luck to him.

He's already come 3rd at Indy before...

I had completely forgotten that Sato ever stood on the podium! I remember being so frustrated by the way BAR thew away the race win, that I didn't fully comprehend that he, Takuma Sato, finished third in a GP.

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 14 Mar 2010, 11:05

eytl wrote:
rffp wrote:I am "grounded" at home with my newborn daughter!

Congratulations on the daughter! There is joy to be had in being grounded for that reason!

Thanks! There is definitely joy in there!

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 14 Mar 2010, 11:47

Just watched the IndyCar warm-up practice that finished and it seems that the repairs were successful. The best times dropped 3s with the Sambadrome straight repairs. I am about 15 km from the track, but here the skies are quite clear, hopefully it is the same over the Sambadrome.

P_Friesacher · Post by **P_Friesacher** » 14 Mar 2010, 15:49

Sad to say it look a bit like the weather will turn rejectworthy on time for the start of the race.

(On TV at least)

Waris · Post by **Waris** » 14 Mar 2010, 15:51

Badging a Dallara chassis as 'Lotus', okay, since Dallara are pretty much standard cars you could buy by the dozen at Wal-Mart metaphorically speaking, but how the bathplug can you badge a Honda engine as 'Cosworth'? That is completely retarded. I do hope this means Sato will go to Lotus F1 in the future, maybe bringing the Honda engines back with him...

On a mostly unrelated note, Simona De Silvestro FTMFW.

Valrys · Post by **Valrys** » 14 Mar 2010, 16:11

First corner accident for Sato.....just can't help himself can he? :lol:

LucaPacchiarini · Post by **LucaPacchiarini** » 14 Mar 2010, 16:54

Valrys wrote:First corner accident for Sato.....just can't help himself can he?

that was massive... he caused a chain reaction that took four cars out

P_Friesacher · Post by **P_Friesacher** » 14 Mar 2010, 17:01

LucaPacchiarini wrote:that was massive... he caused a chain reaction that took four cars out

and in which Marco Andretti was extremely lucky not to get seriously hurt

Mister Fungus · Post by **Mister Fungus** » 14 Mar 2010, 19:49

Exciting race, unlike deadbeat Bahrain. Sometimes I really don't understand why F1 is so much more popular than indycar.

P_Friesacher · Post by **P_Friesacher** » 14 Mar 2010, 19:52

This really turned out to be a very good race - at least the part that followed after the rain. Andretti's crash was pretty frightening, though. And shame about Sato crashing out in the first corner.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 14 Mar 2010, 21:37

Footage of the start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYO62EjMje4

Edit: Does anybody know of any decent Indycar podcasts? And where I can find British TV coverage (TV/Internet video streaming)?

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 14 Mar 2010, 22:04

Mister Fungus wrote:Exciting race, unlike deadbeat Bahrain. Sometimes I really don't understand why F1 is so much more popular than indycar.

It's all about the reputations. IndyCar shot itself in the foot when it split.

RejectSteve · Post by **RejectSteve** » 14 Mar 2010, 23:47

thehemogoblin wrote:
Mister Fungus wrote:Exciting race, unlike deadbeat Bahrain. Sometimes I really don't understand why F1 is so much more popular than indycar.

It's all about the reputations. IndyCar shot itself in the foot when it split.

It also helps that IRL races shiteboxes.

rffp · Post by **rffp** » 15 Mar 2010, 00:16

Mister Fungus wrote:Exciting race, unlike deadbeat Bahrain. Sometimes I really don't understand why F1 is so much more popular than indycar.

When IndyCar grew in the 90s, it lost some of its identity, which was a reason for the split. They tried to be successful in the international scenario, but the failures of Andretti and Zanardi and the fact that it became a reject haven tarnished some of their reputation. Besides being an USA based category and having fewer and fewer winning American drivers is not good marketing.

The race was quite interesting, although the broadcasting at times was seriously confusing and misleading, as many of the IndyCar races on street circuits and road courses. But the oval races, in specific the 1 and 1.5 mile tracks are dreadful. They are a good invitation for an afternoon snooze in the couch.

captainhappy · Post by **captainhappy** » 15 Mar 2010, 03:47

RejectSteve wrote:It also helps that IRL races shiteboxes.

An F1 car with 350 pounds of fuel on board is pretty much the same thing.

dragonsteincole · Post by **dragonsteincole** » 15 Mar 2010, 04:11

Having watched most of the race on Sky Sports 4, I must comment on a fantastic opening race to the season. I had serious doubts over the track, but that race had everything. Sato (for 5 seconds), overtaking, crashes, a thunderstorm, HAIL, cars going 3 and 4 wide down that epic long back straight, and the track actually had a number of overtaking spots.
I know we'll never see F1 cars going there, but after the snooze-fest in Bahrain it wouldn't exactly hurt to try.

BigG80 · Post by **BigG80** » 15 Mar 2010, 15:31

dragonsteincole wrote:Having watched most of the race on Sky Sports 4, I must comment on a fantastic opening race to the season. I had serious doubts over the track, but that race had everything. Sato (for 5 seconds), overtaking, crashes, a thunderstorm, HAIL, cars going 3 and 4 wide down that epic long back straight, and the track actually had a number of overtaking spots.
I know we'll never see F1 cars going there, but after the snooze-fest in Bahrain it wouldn't exactly hurt to try.

Sounds like a race I want to watch! I'm going to look on the Indycar site for highlights tonight.

Can we keep this thread alive and get some reminders on upcoming races? Not the ovals though! :lol:

watka · Post by **watka** » 15 Mar 2010, 21:27

If only F1 cars had Indycar aerodynamics, those things could even make Valencia entertaining!