IndyCar – The push-to-pass system changed in 2017

Several changes will take place in 2017 on certain events on the calendar. IndyCar Series. The organizers of the American championship detailed these modifications yesterday, ranging from a review of weekend programs to an overhaul of the push-to-pass system.

“The IndyCar Series has consulted with various stakeholders, teams, drivers, promoters, to refine weekend schedules and generate the most value and excitement for everyone, specifies Jay Frye, president of IndyCar. These changes are subtle but will improve the race weekend experience for all participants, and especially our fans. »

>> Qualifying on the ovals of Phoenix and Gateway Motorsports Park will be contested on the same day as the race, scheduled for Saturday evening. The first day of these two-day weekends will focus two free practice sessions, the second on the same time slot as the race.

>> For the double-header at the Belle Isle Grand Prix in Detroit in June, qualifying sessions for each race will see the field split into two groups based on practice times, with 12 minutes of track time allocated for each group of qualifying, and five minutes of guaranteed green flag time.

If a car causes a red flag during a qualifying session, its two best timed laps will be canceled and it will not be allowed to continue in the session. One point in the Teams championship and one in the Drivers championship will be awarded to the fastest car in each qualifying group over the two days.

>> On the road and urban layouts, each car will receive an additional set of Firestone red wall soft tires, bringing the total to four sets available for the weekend. Each competitor must return one set of tires (black or red sidewall) after the first practice session of a weekend and another set (of a different compound from the first set of rubber returned), after the second practice session. tests.

>> Overtaking assistance (also known as push-to-pass) on road and city races will be based on a maximum time allowed for each car instead of a number of uses.

The Saint Petersburg, Belle Isle Park and Sonoma Raceway events will have a total time allowance of 150 seconds, with the other road/street races benefiting from 200 seconds.

Once engaged, the push-to-pass will operate for a pre-set duration equivalent to approximately the time required to complete the length of the main straight (approximately 15-20 seconds).

Pilots will have the option to disengage an activation halfway through, to save time for later use. Additionally, push-to-pass will not be available at the start of a race or for restarts, with the exception of a restart with two laps remaining in the race.

>> The event on the road circuit of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will now take place over two days, Friday May 12 and Saturday May 13. The lower levels of the Mazda Road to Indy will maintain on-track activity on Thursday, May 11.

>> Test sessions on the first day of most road and street event weekends will have standardized start times of 11 a.m. and 15 p.m. local. Each session will last 45 minutes.