R4 IndyCar, Sao Paulo – 1st May

[Muzza]

Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 by Nestle - Brazil

Race Preview

The IZOD IndyCar Series returns to the scenic street circuit in Sao Paulo for the second time.

The inaugural race, also the season opener, was exciting with Will Power taking the win over Ryan Hunter-Reay. Vitor Meira finished just behind in an action-packed race that included a first-lap crash, seven lead changes and a rainstorm. Pole sitter Dario Franchitti finished seventh.

The 2.536, 11-turn temporary street circuit incorporates the Sambadromo as the frontstretch. The surface is a challenge as it's the only section of the circuit that is concrete.
There is a long stretch that heads into the final corner, requiring hard braking and offering plentiful overtaking opportunities.

Circuit Upgrade: “The entire course has been paved, and unlike last year when we were really struggling with time this year it’s been paved with the Interlagos mix so the pavement will hold up much better,” said Cotman, referring to the permanent road course
Turn 1 (a left-hander exiting the Sambadrome straight) also is wider with more run-off area, and curbs have been removed from Turns 6, 7 and 9.Such amendments could further enhance the action (there were 93 passes in the 2010 race) on an 11-turn course that features multiple overtaking zones. The nearly mile-long backstretch is the longest on the series’ calendar, with a 180-degree right-hand turn at its terminal point.

Local Event Timings:

Saturday 30th

08:30 > 09:00 - Practice 1A
09:00 > 09:45 - Practice 1B
12:00 > 13:00 - Practice
15:00 > 16:15 - Qualifying

Sunday 1st May

08:30 > 09:00 – Warm-Up
13:20 > 16:00 - Race  (75 laps)

SPEED broadcast time in AEST is Live 2:00am Monday morning the 1st May with a full replay at 8:00pm that night

Current time and weather in Sao Paulo is HERE 13 hrs behind AEST

For Live Timing/video log on to: RACE CONTROL

LINK to IndyCar website for more information

[bpratt]

Thanks for the post Muzza, a great read.

That's a wicked long straight they have there, and that they are actually going to remove kerbs is a bonus.

[WilliamsF1]

Will Power will be starting from pole ahead of Ryan Hunter-Reay and Scott Dixon with Ryan Briscoe in 4th. Interesting note, this is Team Penske's 200th pole.

[bpratt]

Just heard on the morning radio news that it was postponed due to rain, but it appears to be the only form of motorsport that doesn't run in the rain (other than drags due to the traction compound making it like ice/oil).

Anyone got any idea as to the level of rainfall that caused this postponement?  It'd really need to be monsoonal type of rain that should have stopped it.

[bradk12fan]

Just heard on the morning radio news that it was postponed due to rain, but it appears to be the only form of motorsport that doesn't run in the rain (other than drags due to the traction compound making it like ice/oil).

Anyone got any idea as to the level of rainfall that caused this postponement?  It'd really need to be monsoonal type of rain that should have stopped it.

I think a start crash that took out Danica Patrick, Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan and Simona de Silvestro, and a restart crash that involved Dixon, Bourdais, Sato, Hildebrand, and others played a factor. It was pouring rain before the race even started. It was not, and is not a race, it's a joke..... When they tried to restart the race water got into the electronics of Mike Conway's car, killing the engine. The only 'completed' 9 laps, but in my opinion, they never should have attempted the race today, they should have a complete and total restart, I mean, out of the 26 cars that started. 10 are already either totaled, out of contention, or damaged.

[WilliamsF1]

It sure was wet:

I think Indycars do race in the wet at road courses, otherwise they wouldn't have even attempted the start. SPEED will be showing the continuation of the race tonight live at 10pm.

[bpratt]

Nothing said on the radio news about the race had actually started and that so many cars got crunched up.

Don't understand why they didn't start it under the pace car for a few laps in order to get the tyres to pump a lot of moisture up off the track, then when the pace car goes in that there was to be no overtaking for another two laps with a single file restart.

Whilst only seeing very little of what the weather was really like, I think IRL could've handled things a little bit differently.

[bradk12fan]

Nothing said on the radio news about the race had actually started and that so many cars got crunched up.

Don't understand why they didn't start it under the pace car for a few laps in order to get the tyres to pump a lot of moisture up off the track, then when the pace car goes in that there was to be no overtaking for another two laps with a single file restart.

Whilst only seeing very little of what the weather was really like, I think IRL could've handled things a little bit differently.

That Indycar ra....that Indycar circus was a   - ing  joke (pardon my language). Not only did so many cars wreck, spin, or end up on top of one another on the start, they said that they were going to restart the race at 1pm EST (Eastern Standard Time). They restarted the race at 8am EST without so much as a comment on tv, a tweet, or a facebook post. I realized the race was on after someone post a video on YT of Dario Franchitti's crash. I turned the race on at 9:20am, is was on lap 31, with a time of 13:39 left, after the time ended, 53 laps had been completed. I lost a lot of respect for Indycar today.

Also, when they tried to restart the race yesterday, Danica's team had fixed her car and told her to get in, you should have seen her arguing with Michael Andretti and she was cursing out Indycar and Michael on the radio.

[SLE355]

It was live on Speed last night at 10pm, i only knew that because Speed TV Australia posted it on there Facebook.

[Muzza]

Certainly was a very different race, you could see that it was going to be a bun fight into the first turn in that weather with a double file start.
As has been said it should have started under the pace car and SINGLE FILE (There was a    load of rain) Last year the race was also stopped for the same reason but because it didn’t last as long they were able to restart on the same day.

Funny thing was when they started the delayed race everyone was on slicks but it started raining as they came onto the main straight, through the first turn (where all the drama was the previous day) not one car was hit or hit a wall.

The main problem with street tracks is they don’t have the run off and the water stays within the concrete walls (this was a problem at the Gold Coast a few times and I remember they used a few Jet dryers to get rid of it)

As this is the first year of double file starts I think we may find that the rules will change for next year as there have been some monstrous crashes so far and were only up to race 4. 

As for the broadcast thing, I was lucky that I have it serious linked on fox box and as I was watching it on Monday night (and getting pissed that it would not record the whole thing). As it got closer to the end of the first recording I noticed the box was already recording and when I checked the first thing I thought was that the race was delayed by a day. So all I can say is well done Speed but to race at 8am in the morning is ??????

Oh well bring on May and INDY…….I will do up a preview soon and post it asap 

[bradk12fan]

Certainly was a very different race, you could see that it was going to be a bun fight into the first turn in that weather with a double file start.
As has been said it should have started under the pace car and SINGLE FILE (There was a    load of rain) Last year the race was also stopped for the same reason but because it didn’t last as long they were able to restart on the same day.

Funny thing was when they started the delayed race everyone was on slicks but it started raining as they came onto the main straight, through the first turn (where all the drama was the previous day) not one car was hit or hit a wall.

The main problem with street tracks is they don’t have the run off and the water stays within the concrete walls (this was a problem at the Gold Coast a few times and I remember they used a few Jet dryers to get rid of it)

As this is the first year of double file starts I think we may find that the rules will change for next year as there have been some monstrous crashes so far and were only up to race 4. 

As for the broadcast thing, I was lucky that I have it serious linked on fox box and as I was watching it on Monday night (and getting pissed that it would not record the whole thing). As it got closer to the end of the first recording I noticed the box was already recording and when I checked the first thing I thought was that the race was delayed by a day. So all I can say is well done Speed but to race at 8am in the morning is ??????

Oh well bring on May and INDY…….I will do up a preview soon and post it asap

There's a lot that Indycar could, and should have done, but 'the show must go on,' is what a friend of mine, who works for a team, told me that the race organizers said.