?However, the oval is extremely fast so the tyres also need to have very good stability and braking performance. Turn 13 in particular submits the tyres to very high loads and high lateral forces. The drivers are on full throttle through this section so the tyres must be strong enough to cope with both these directional forces. Normally tyres are loaded more on the inboard side of the car because of the negative camber.
?At Indianapolis however, the banking means the outboard side is also loaded so tyre manufacturers have to be vigilant here.
Bridgestone has taken all these factors into consideration when deciding with our teams which tyre specifications to bring. The specs have all been very carefully chosen for this race and we will be looking for a good result this weekend.?
THE TRACK:
Race Distance: 73 laps - Circuit Length: 2.605 miles (4.192 kms)
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the second oldest motor-racing venue currently in use. The 4.192 kms course that snakes through the infield also utilises part of the fabled Indianapolis oval. Indianapolis has played host to
Formula One since 2000 and now forms a mid-season set of back-to-back races with Canada.
Tony George, head of the Speedway Corporation and a descendent of the Hulman family that has steered the fortunes of the historic American track, pulled out all the stops to create a world-class racing circuit that could provide a permanent home for the United States Grand Prix. In pursuit of that goal, he made radical changes to the original Speedway by demolishing buildings, erecting a new pit complex and grandstands, and building today?s challenging road course.
Overtaking is much easier at Indianapolis than at most tracks, with clear passing opportunities into turns one and eight, both second-gear corners proceeded by long straights. The slowest part of the track is the 40mph turn eight, the first part of an extremely tight S- bend, while the fastest is turn thirteen. This is the first corner of the oval and is taken flat-out at 185mph in an
F1 car.
THE WINNER?
Having secured his fourth straight win in Canada, there is no reason to suggest that
Fernando Alonso cannot continue his relentless pace at Indianapolis.
