Speed trap
There had been several runners in the race to land the 2012 IndyCar chassis supplier contract, including concepts from Reynard, Lola and Swift. The extraordinary looking Delta Wing was also in the mix for a while, but was perhaps a step too far out of the traditional comfort zone for some. But in July of 2010, IndyCar announced that Italian racecar manufacturer, Dallara, had been awarded the contract to replace the series’ ageing IR-5 chassis with a new vehicle titled the IR-12.
Dallara had been sole supplier of chassis to IndyCar since 2007 with the IR-5, which was a development of the IR-3 and had become the weapon of choice for teams, pushing out Panoz at the end of the 2006 season.
The IR-5 served the series well but, as always in motorsport, there was a need to progress and further enhance driver safety. IndyCar’s intent was to produce a next-generation safety cell, drawing on Dallara’s extensive experience in the series, and the wider racing industry. The chassis was designed to allow the upper surfaces of the car to be swapped for updated parts as both Dallara and IndyCar refined the aero package.
Dallara worked with IndyCar legend, Dan Wheldon, while testing the IR-12, with Wheldon providing invaluable feedback to the engineers and designers refining the car ready for manufacture and customer delivery. Such was Wheldon’s contribution, it was named the DW12 in his honour following the Las Vegas accident that cost Wheldon his life and rocked the sport to its core.
For 2012, the car was to run in a spec-format Aerokit, with power coming from Lotus, Honda and Chevrolet. Initially, the intention was to open up development of the attached aerodynamic surfaces to multiple manufactures such as Lockheed Martin, GE, Lotus and Chevy for 2013, but this was rejected unanimously by the teams on the grounds of increased cost. However, in 2014-2016 the regulations were changed to allow the development of manufacturer Aerokits in an effort by series’ bosses to open up the engineering innovation of the car’s development, and add another competitive facet for series’ engine manufacturers, Chevy and Honda, to generate individual aerodynamic packages.
The dawn of DW12
In March of 2012, the DW12 made its debut on the streets of St. Petersburg. The car met with a mixed reception, many fans taking a particular dislike to the new bumpers behind the rear wheels. The intention there was to stop following cars ‘climbing’ over the rear wheels of the lead car in the event of tyre-to-tyre, or nose-to-tyre contact. However, when combined with the DW12’s larger tyre ramps, it created a visual effect more akin to a Sportscar, and was one of the critical areas in which the DW12 took a step away from the traditional IndyCar aesthetic.
The design looked stretched, and seemed to lose part of the personality that had been key to American open-wheel racing for so long. Add to this forward-tapered sidepods, a
