“There are only four curves to the left”. Too many times one of the most demanding, fascinating and steeped in history races of the entire international motoring scene is so reductively described. The Indianapolis 500 is an event full of challenges and pitfalls and it is no coincidence that it is part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport.
Despite the seemingly simplistic layout of the Indiana basin, preparation for the 500 Miglia is one of the most complex on the international stage, starting with purely technical work and team setup. The search for mechanical and aerodynamic balance starts from hours spent in the wind tunnel and the simulator, arriving at defining asymmetrical set-ups, whose parameters also differ greatly between qualifying and the race. This work includes the mechanical adjustments to obtain expected aerodynamic behaviors, such as ground heights and rake angles, similarly to any other modern motor racing competition.
Like the engineering aspect, another great element of fascination is the set of driving, strategy and management activities carried out by the drivers during the more than two hours of racing, summarized here thanks to the contribution of Alberto Antoninicommunication manager of Monaco Increase Managaement who closely follows the work of the reigning champion of the category Alex Palou. The first element worthy of remarks for those less similar to the 500 Miglia is how different the four curves of the Indiana basin are from each other, requiring different approaches and trajectories. The differences can lie in every minimum aspect: cleanliness and rubber coating of the asphalt, track temperature and any shaded areas, as well as the local wind direction and its different shielding by the stands.
Small details that can alter the level of grip and to which the cars, launched at speeds above 300 km / h, are extremely sensitive. The pilots are thus called upon to adapt the guiding lines with more or less angular trajectories, more shifted towards the outside on the banking or with a more central chord point, also depending on whether the curve being analyzed is an odd one or if it rather enters. on one of the two straights.
In a race of over two hours, in which the track evolves significantly in terms of cleanliness, temperature and wind and with the weight of the cars varying repeatedly with each refueling, the drivers constantly act from the cockpit to correct as much as possible the trim of the car. Small variations, so however the principle of extreme sensitivity of cars traveling at over 300 km / h with a minimum level of aerodynamic load applies again. There are two main tools available on the steering wheel. First, there is the weight-jacketthe tool for adjusting the cross weight, the distribution of weights along the diagonals of the single-seater, whereby values higher or lower than 50% respectively give an understeer or oversteer tendency in the left-hand folds. The adjustment is made by means of a hydraulic piston with a maximum excursion of 1.27 cm, which alters the height from the ground of the rear suspension. To it is added the calibration of the stiffness of the front and rear anti-roll bars directly from the steering wheelother parameters capable of correcting the balance during construction.
To win in Indianapolis you must first of all put yourself in the conditions to be able to do so. The priority is therefore to arrive at the start of the last stint in the leading positions with the car still in optimal conditions. The key element to preserve is the engine, stressed beyond common sense on an average race above 300 km / h and which, when overtaking in the slipstream, can reach 12,000 rpm. For this reason, in Indianapolis it is customary to say that when you feel like you are starting to go fast, that is the signal to slow down. Another crucial aspect is traveling in the slipstream, an operation that saves fuel in order to be more aggressive at a later time or rather to lengthen the stint by one or two laps, increasing the flexibility of the strategy. However, even the exploitation of the wake has its risks: to ensure the necessary grip, the chasing driver must keep at least half the car offset from the one in front, so that part of the aerodynamics is not hit by turbulence, with the awareness however that an unexpected rejection of the car in front could generate a sudden loss of load. Finally, there is the aspect of managing tire degradation, the drift of which is tangible even in just four qualifying laps and which in the race is exasperated after dozens of laps followed in the wake of another car.
The continuous management of the vehicle and the constant adaptation to the track conditions make the Indiana event a single-seater race with typical endurance dynamics, so much so that the 500 Miglia is also defined as the shortest duration race in the world. In addition to the racing traits typical of single-seaters and endurance races, in Indianapolis, however, we can recognize elements that paradoxically refer to the world of rallies. In fact, the visibility from the cockpit is traditionally very poor, making the role of the spotters central: the driver must therefore blindly rely on the instructions received via radio about the positioning of the surrounding cars, similar to how the champions of off-road competitions face a curve. solely on the basis of information from your browser. A 500 Miglia which thus proves to be one of the best examples of teamwork, going well beyond being a simple succession of four left-hand corners.
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