IRL: Season Preview 2010

In the shadow of the F1-beat starts this weekend the IRL on the new street circuit in Sao Paulo in the 2010 season. Long the series was in decline - will this year finally be all better.

We regret to say it so clearly: From the once-proud race series, which was for many years as head of the American motor sports is not much left except the Indy 500. NASCAR has long been one of the lapped; Long gone are the times when the CART series by some viewers as a more exciting alternative to F1 was seen, and cherished lofty expansion plans into Europe and Asia. The years of guerrilla war between CART and the IRL has added to the sport hard, and hurt in the end all: The CART (or Champ Car), there is no longer the past two years, and also the "reunited" IRL will compete for the attention of not just from the spot. Nevertheless: In 2010 you could win with the IZOD brand fashion a new title sponsor, which can be trusted, to promote the series outside the core market. Above all, a younger and "cooler than" audience wants to achieve. Full access to the concept in 2011 and 2012 - this year but must be set the course for the future.

By the way you should run this year to deliver a decent racing season. The starting point for this: The 2010 offers drivers a very appealing mix of experienced pilots at the good teams and some interesting newcomers who are trying to make their cockpits during the mid-field the best teams. But first things first: The top teams of the past few years, Ganassi and Penske focus on continuity and maintain the successful occupation in 2009. For Ganassi does so further master Dario Franchitti (not due to sponsor commitments with the # 1, but the # 10 on the way) to prove the action one, which will surely be very anxious that his title is not only due to the gasoline poker in the last race. Also, Scott Dixon (# 9) will be driving again one of the two target-sponsored racer. At Penske enjoy again Heilo Castroneves (# 3) and Ryan Brsicoe (# 6) the confidence of the team. New: The heavy after his crash at Sears Point convalescent Will Power (# 12) all season long this time may put his talent in a third Penske car to the test. If the teams have preserved their form from last year, which would then probably the five candidates for the title in 2010.

There are news in the former third top teams - Andretti Green Racing Andretti Autosport is now. May Danica Patrick (# 7) remains the team's faithful after protracted contract Poker, and must prove that they can withstand the double burden NASCAR / IndyCar, and the interest in the IRL has not completely lost: Little is new in the driver line-up. The tests at Barber Motorsports Park ran ever not very promising. Always a serious title contender, if the car is once again leading the way, is dagengen Tony Kanaan (# 37). Not surprisingly, Marco Andretti (# 26) is back in the team. In 2010 he was nice and slowly unpack the talent but again, that he has shown in recent years, otherwise it could part of a team of Dad with the trunk space is slightly cramped. Andretti is reinforced in eight of the 17 sports car race sponsored by IZOD Ryan Hunter-Reay (# 37), the fourth car of Hideki Mutoh (this year at # 06 Newman / Haas / Lanigan) takes over.

Otherwise to note: "Difficult Dan" Wheldon (# 4), after all, champion and Indianapolis champion Panther Racing in 2005 will try to build on previous successes. Takuma Sato (# 5) has given up the dream of Formula 1 and will probably start in 2010 with KV Racing. During the tests, he was ever good about it - would want at the Japanese success in the IRL forever. After all, he was able to keep up on a good day at BAR with F1 World Champion Button thoroughly. Fan favorite Paul Tracy (# 15) is expected to start in the Indy 500 and the races in Canada for KV Racing, for an entire season's finances not good enough again. Justin Wilson (# 22) is replaced by Dale Coyne for Dreyer & Reinbold. Fans from Switzerland can look forward to Simona De Silvestro (# 78). The last Formula Atlantic champion in history, with financial support from the online role-playing game "Stargate World" came on for the entire season with HVM Racing. "The next Montoya" (says Jimmy Vasser) Mario Moraes (# 32), who delivered the end of the 2009 season has some great race yesterday was confirmed for the entire season with KV Racing.

Looking for a regular place, however, is still Graham Rahal. The son of racing legend Bobby Rahal was the end of 2009, sponsored by McDonald's lost money - that no substitute will be, for a series whose goal is to more young American race fans still attracting almost unforgivable. After all, came on Wednesday evening, the message that should Rahal in St. Petersburg and in Alabama for Sarah Fisher Racing game (!) in order to bridge the search for a different team. Top places to be difficult it is true, but still remains the foot in the door - and at road and circuit races in the IRL are indeed sometimes surprises there.

On the lines has not 2010 particularly done much: The street circuit in Sao Paulo is new to the program (more equal), also you want the first time a race at Barber Motorsports ride park in Alabama, where you previously been tested a few times has. Sorely missed in 2010: the Milwaukee Mile. The traditional course is unfortunately not ride this year, after the promoters have got the track into financial problems.

The idea of ​​building in Sao Paulo, a city circuit for the Indy seems to have sprung above all the need that many Brazilian drivers and sponsors (think of the "Apex Brazil Green Flag", which is always tilted to the yellow phase) with to provide a home race. For a long time was also not clear who will run in the Brazilian city. In late autumn, on indycar.com spread a message in the short term, according to the race should take place in Rio - including statements from drivers and city officials. But that was then withdrawn after a few hours, pushed the release to a hacker attack. Only in December it was clear that the IRL would go on the street circuit in Sao Paulo. So it is in São Paulo, not so much a great course, wanted to go to the IndyCar necessarily - the track is more of a commissioned work. Moreover one that had to be completed within the shortest possible time. One should not expect too much. After all, the idea of ​​driving through Sambadrome's not quite unoriginal. There are also already has made a simulation of the course, the IRL-Versus broadcaster on Youtube:

At first glance, all this is not very imaginative, and out of town for a course rather quickly. The various 90-degree bends at the end of long straights but should at least allow overtaking. And who knows: This uninspired at first sight distances also like to surprise even exciting races. A couple of concerns come to the Security Grade in the Sambadrome, where the audience sits on both sides of the track pretty close to the roadside, one must hope that no parts of the track stand out. Otherwise affect the safety zones is not exactly abundant. Let's see if this is in reality will make it better.

Even off the racetrack, the 2010 season of interest: Some vortices has recently completed the presentation of the "Delta Wing" caused quite an unusual mix of Batmobile, and launcher Hanseat pace with which could go to IndyCar in 2012 at the start. By the summer will be the final decision on whether to replace the now eight year old Dallara chassis with a radically new design of Ganassi designer Ben Bowlby, or whether it falls back but on bewährtere concepts to choose otherwise are still proposed by Swift, Lola, Dallara itself, and - since early this week - BAT Engineering. An overview of the designs it here . Currently seems most of the team owner to prefer the Delta Wing, during the IRL leadership for allegedly Dallara design tends. The fact that the selection process Indycar as open, can at least hope that it will also give the fans a little attention. Moreover, if one is set during the year on a motor-control element for 2012 - it was recently but surprisingly little known new developments.

As you can follow here in Germany, the new season, is unfortunately still a bit unclear. Since the beginning of this week is at least confirmed what many had feared: With sky you can indeed see "something special", but unfortunately not the IRL. Otherwise seems to find a station that wants to hoist the Indy in his program. If once again the Internet. After all, the IRL has since quite a good offer at hand: On indycar.com be in the "IndyCar Race Control" all races live and from multiple camera angles. The service is free (you have to register though), but also has a small catch: In addition to the onboard perspectives is only a "Leader Cam" on days that focuses on the leading group. The TV feed from Versus, which offers a good TV commentary, interviews and repeats, one searches in vain. Last year was therefore yet another service offered, could acquire with the audience from countries where the IndyCar was not transferred for $ 3 (if I remember correctly) a live broadcast of the race - the content, I do not know, unfortunately, but it would surprise me very, if it had not traded it to the TV feed of ESPN International. Whether it is the place in this year again, but was unfortunately not be determined - a relevant question to the IndyCar remaining unanswered.

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In the shadow of the F1-beat starts this weekend the IRL on the new street circuit in Sao Paulo in the 2010 season. Long was the series on the decline ...