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Indy 500 qualifying has highlighted some big turnarounds in performance year-on-year. Jack Benyon looks at the factors that have contributed to this including an old part – which offered a huge gain – that’s finally been outlawed
In recent years at the Indianapolis 500, a fascinating story has emerged involving an old pushrod suspension part that turned out to be quite valuable until it was banned this year by IndyCar. Ganassi was the first team to realize its advantage, leading to other teams scrambling to find and use it. This discovery challenged the conventional belief that new parts are always superior in performance. The pushrod’s banning sheds light on teams continuously pushing boundaries despite IndyCar being a spec-chassis series, affecting the dynamics of the Indy 500 race. Additionally, the upcoming introduction of a new hybrid system is already influencing the current season, impacting not only horsepower but also weight distribution and aerodynamics, raising questions about its effects on engine manufacturers and car speeds.
