INDYCAR BOSS SAYS CHANGE WILL COME SLOWLY
IndyCar chairman Mark Miles is confident things are on target after one of the most successful yet painful seasons in recent history.
Interest, as gauged by the convergent metrics of TV ratings, attendance and Internet impressions, was proportionately better. But the death of driver Justin Wilson as a result of a head injury suffered at Pocono Raceway on Aug. 23 and a life-threatening injury to James Hinchcliffe in Indianapolis 500 practice were brutal reminders of the dangers of open-wheel racing.
Miles said a probe into the Wilson crash revealed no need for immediate change and no conclusions not initially assumed after the 37-year-old was struck in the head by flying debris.
“I don’t think there were any revelations,” he told USA TODAY Sports. “I think for everybody, with or without the report, all of us hope to be able to make progress in finding ways to make the cockpit safer and to reduce the risks. So for example, there may be some short-term measures, like tethering some parts that weren’t this year but could be.”
USA TODAY Sports spoke with Miles about offseason work.
Q: Have Honda and Chevrolet renewed their agreements yet to return as engine providers?
A: No, but I think, in fact, this week we’re scheduling the time to go back to Detroit or them to come down here to see if we can get that one done. I just don’t think there’s any roadblock to getting those done.
Q: The Justin Wilson accident report presented no pressing issues for safety improvement?
A: It reinforces the risks, I think, of the open cockpit and further energizes efforts in motor sport to try to reduce those risks.
Q: What’s the state of that energy currently?
A: I was in an hour-and-a-half conversation with outside people who are involved in aerospace and NASA, people who do things like provide cockpit cover for jet fighters. First of all, it should be known that Formula One, for a very long time, has been working on this, and it’s fair to say they’ve had the lead. But (IndyCar safety consultant and Global Institute for Motorsports Safety member) Dr. Terry Trammell has really had all the information flowing from that work for a long time, so I think we’ve been totally plugged into it. So the call was very help- ful in discussing with outside expert perspective all kinds of the hurdles. What are the things that you have to solve for? And that’s everything from what they call egress to heat. Obviously, the foundational point is whether there’s a solution which protects the driver, and there may be no solution which provides complete protection if you get into a situation like in Las Vegas (where driver Dan Wheldon died as a result of head injuries when he struck a catchfence support). But it’s how much more safe can you make it while proving for not having unintended consequences.
By the way, this is not necessarily about a completely closed cockpit. It could be more of an apron — if something hits that, they do these deflection studies in these industries, and it’s possible (the object) could be propelled higher and further and an unintended consequence could be the risk of something going into the crowd. It doesn’t necessarily knock it down and put it on the track if something was coming at a car like that, especially something like a tire that has en- ergy in it. What is clear to me is we’ve got an outside perspective, as do our safety people, on the long list of things you have to address, if there’s a solution from things like I just mentioned, to how would we put it on the car, how would you affix something. I was very encouraged for that.
You’re not going to see a change to the car for next year in this regard, just because I don’t think it’s possible.
Q: What’s IndyCar’s pace of progress on this?
A: I think IndyCar is very focused on engaging with outside expertise on doing what can be done. These are technical challenges, and it’s hard to imagine that anything transformative will happen this year. At this point, I wouldn’t rule out 2017, but the research has to be done, the development has to be done to answer the questions as to what can be done by when.