Q: I might be just a bit biased, but I can’t help but wonder how T.E. McHale would feel about Honda considering leaving Indy Car after the 2026 season, and how much of an influence he might have been convincing them to stay?
Honda leaving would almost certainly lead to the demise of Mid-Ohio on the Indy Car schedule as well, but not sure how long the current contract is for?
Tom Maiyer Jr
MP: I had this exact conversation with a friend last week; we both loved T.E. His ways were different than Chuck Schifsky’s, but I’m sure their efforts would have been driven by the same care for their brand and for IndyCar. At the risk of overstating things, Chuck’s message — which is Honda’s message — comes from a place of love for the series. Tough love. Those kinds of public statements only get made when there’s a feeling that whatever was said in private has either been ignored or given a lower priority than they deserve.
Honda sponsors Mid-Ohio, Toronto, and all manner of things in the paddock. Other sponsors could be found, no doubt. But it’s a different deal when one of your five engine partners leaves, and when it’s one of two.
Q: So that article about Chevy being tight-lipped about Honda’s concerns sure reads like a message from Roger himself. I’ve seen more than one comment from fans about Roger and Ilmor, and it seems like they aren’t realizing what a serious blow to the series it would be if they lost Honda. Or am I just reading too much into it?
Ryan, West Michigan
MP: It didn’t take long to realize during the Zoom call that we were being spoken to by Penske Entertainment’s executive leaders in the pre-formulated answers crafted during the seven days from when the interview request was made to when the interview itself was conducted.
The repeated reference of being willing to speak about cost reductions and other related matters “in the proper forum” was a public message from on high at IndyCar for Honda to pipe down, but without saying so directly.
Reminded me of the old coaching trick used by Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls where he’d rip into Scottie Pippin, who sat next to Michael Jordan, instead of Jordan himself, when he had criticisms to offer the GOAT. The shouty words were aimed at Jordan’s No. 2, but everyone knew it was Jackson barking at his No. 1, minus the public visuals of dressing down everyone’s hero.
Q: In light of all of the fooferaw regarding the “classic” chassis model, huge costs for engine manufacturers, and yet another delay on the hybrid, may I gently suggest that the folks at IndyCar take a look at the series they hosted so beautifully this year: IMSA!
How hard would it be for Dallara to tweak the chassis for a GTP hybrid engine? The R&D has already been done, and we know the dang thing (through multiple manufacturers) works.
So what say ye?
Whitney W, gettin’ out the popcorn for the comment section
MP: Not much to tweak since the final product would be the same Dallara GTP design used by BMW and Cadillac. The IMSA ERS unit is comparatively huge and super heavy to what IndyCar came up with, and it takes up the entirety of the passenger side of the GTP tub. There’s no place to stick the big battery and related components in an open-wheel car, so it’s a non-starter unless IndyCar decides to adopt GTP regulations!
Q: Do you know who sets the pricing for IndyCar’s engine lease programs and if the pricing is the same for each manufacturer? While we’ve covered the gamut of cost vs. value over the last week, the part I’ve never been able to wrap my head around is how these suppliers seem to indicate that more business for them equals more financial loss.
I totally understand sunk development costs, but when it comes to income from each individual lease it blows my mind that these crucial series partners are expected to operate at a loss. This feels very un-Penske-like from a business perspective, and seems like a crucially important detail when it comes to not only Honda’s feelings about return on investment, but also the ability to deliver on increased demand for its product (Indy 500 entries… ahem…)
Lyle
MP: The manufacturers set the number; an increase was approved for 2024, I’m told. The leasing-at-a-loss was part of the new engine formula each manufacturer accepted in 2012, so the practice pre-dates Penske’s 2020 purchase of the series by a long while.
Q: First Honda is considering leaving IndyCar, now its idea to prevent that from happening is interesting: Spec engines, all built by Ilmor. For fans clamoring for a third manufacturer, would that idea be acceptable to them, or would they leave forever? If several manufacturers saw value in this, and the cost was very low, and they agreed to a certain expenditure in advertising, I think this just might work. Your thoughts?
Mike Talarico, Charlotte, NC
MP: Great question, Mike. As I see it, we have two things to ponder: Do fans — new, old, and future — care more about the actual engines being designed/manufactured/developed by Chevy, Honda, Toyota, Ford and Hyundai, if we were to have that dream scenario, which conform to an extremely tight and rigid formula where all the engines perform at nearly identical levels?
Or would fans — new, old, and future — simply love to have Chevy, Honda, Toyota, Ford and Hyundai competing against each other in IndyCar with spec engines, but with the ability to express their individual talents and technological skills in other, less costly areas?
If we were having this discussion 10 years ago, I’d say it was the first option, because the spirit of manufacturers fighting each other for our entertainment — and their promotional benefit — was still very much a thing in IndyCar. But I just don’t see that it matters to the same degree as it once did. I’m fortunate to interact with a lot of young and newer IndyCar fans — most of whom are in their 20s — and seemingly, 99 percent of what they want to talk about is the drivers and the dramas.
Which engine has better fuel economy? And how might that influence the outcome of the Indy 500? Those are conversations started by old school fans, and I’m thankful some folks still care about the engines and tech side of IndyCar. But it’s not a point of interest I see much of — and I’m not saying there’s no interest among new fans, but it’s sparse — as the DW12 era has gone on.
So, I’d say the latter, with having multiple brands who are in the series at a more affordable level, who have techy things they can do that matter to them, while putting big dollars into promoting the series and their participation in it, is the best idea I’ve heard in a while. I don’t love the sound of going to a spec engine, but if that’s the change that brings in manufacturers and showers the country with tune-in messaging for IndyCar, I’m in.