NTT IndyCar Series teams have been informed of a change to the right-side Firestone tires they will use for this weekend’s Hy-Vee doubleheader at Iowa Speedway.
The move comes in reaction to a heat management issue that arose at the recent test at the 0.875-mile oval where extremely high temperatures were recorded in right-side tire carcasses, and in the case of Team Penske’s Will Power, a heat-related failure of the right-front tire occurred on the incredibly fast bullring.
RACER understands the combination of Iowa’s newly-paved, high-grip corners, higher weight — up 105 lbs — with the new energy recovery systems installed, and harder tires created by Firestone to manage the spike in forces created by the grip and weight, led to those right-side tires generating and retaining more heat than was sustainable.
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According to the teams, the updated right-side tires are of a new compound and construction and, crucially, are softer and will wear at a faster rate, which should help the tires to release more heat and run at cooler temperatures. Teams will also receive updated tire pressure and camber recommendations from IndyCar’s official tire partner to use with the new rubber.
With the timing of the change after the test, the 10 IndyCar teams in attendance and their 27 drivers will need to prioritize their Friday practice running to learn about the performance capabilities and durability profile of the revised tire package. IndyCar also removed 10 percent of the maximum downforce achievable for the event, cutting approximately 450 lbs of aero loading off of all cars.
In addition, the series has added a session to the Iowa calendar on Friday afternoon with an open invitation for its teams to help apply rubber to the second lane in Turns 1-2 and 3-4 at slightly reduced speeds.
A new set of tires, using left-side rubber from Indianapolis and right sides from the Iowa test, will be made available for those who participate in the 30-minute session scheduled from 2:45-3:15pm CT prior to the 3:30-5pm official practice window.