A 12 months in the past, Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.439-mile, 14-turn street course was new to most of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship groups and drivers. Porsche Penske Motorsport used that, and a number of home-track testing, to its benefit and dominated the 2h40m race with a one-two end for its Porsche 963s. This 12 months the observe could also be acquainted to most everybody, however the twist of the Battle on the Bricks now being a six-hour race will definitely change the fortunes of some.
“The Indianapolis six hours might be a brand new problem because it enters the endurance rounds of the championship,” stated Pipo Derani, whose Whelen Cadillac Racing V-Collection.R confirmed good tempo at Indy final 12 months, however not on a degree with the PPM Porsches. “It’s additionally a really peculiar racetrack, one that may create a number of marbles off-track. It’s almost definitely going to create a really fascinating endurance occasion, and I’m trying ahead to that.
“I additionally assume it’s good that the championship will now end with two endurance races in a row, which might create a number of fascinating battles and totally different methods round not solely the general championship but in addition the endurance championships.”
Tire technique will play an enormous half because the GTP groups have seven units of hard-compound Michelins to make use of for qualifying and race, notes PPM’s Nick Tandy, who want to see a greater end result for the No. 6 963 he shares with Mathieu Jaminet than they’ve usually had in endurance races.
“The apparent level round it, I might say, with Michelin limiting the quantity of tire units that we get for all races, it modifications the way you go concerning the race, from a method standpoint,” he stated. “From a driving standpoint, I wouldn’t say it modifications an excessive amount of going from slightly below a 3 to a six, however I assume we’ll discover out.
Bourdais is aware of all too effectively how briskly issues can go south on the IMS street course, as he and Cadillac teammate van der Zande bought off to a tough begin in final 12 months’s race. Michael Levitt/Motorsport Photographs
“Indianapolis is a brief lap. The tracks the place there are quick laps are likely to make the stints really feel very lengthy. If it’s a scorching day — which it may be — it’ll be powerful, however managing tires actually goes to be goes to be key.”
With 56 vehicles on observe — eight greater than 2023 — surviving the early a part of the race goes to be the primary process. Visitors could make or break each lap, and Indy solely presents a few spots the place passing is rather less harrowing.
“Bodily, it’s laborious. It’s a observe that doesn’t provide you with a lot relaxation and it’s critically tough in visitors,” stated Sebastien Bourdais, who, together with Renger van der Zande might be attempting to place the No. 01 Cadillac again into championship rivalry. “There are a number of sections on the observe the place you may’t go. When you get into Flip 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, you’ve bought to attend all the way in which till the backstraight and similar factor once you get to 7, 8, 9, 10. When you don’t clear simply earlier than you get to the lengthy proper, the marbles construct up and you’ll’t go both.
“There are few locations to clear visitors and it’s actually a sport of endurance as a result of for those who attempt to drive the difficulty, it may possibly go bitter fairly quick. It’s a must to watch out however on the similar time you may’t be too cautious. In a 2-hour, 40-minute race, you may’t take it that simple. In a six-hour race, I assume there might be extra administration as a result of it should come right down to what occurs on the final security automobile, so it may be a bit simpler to handle frustration.”
The six-hour IMSA Battle on the Bricks takes the inexperienced flag at 11:40am ET on Sunday, Sept. 22. The total race might be streamed on Peacock starting at 11:30am, and outdoors the U.S. on IMSA.television. NBC will characteristic the second half of the race starting at 3pm. Qualifying begins at 3:40pm ET on Saturday and might be carried stay on IMSA.television and Peacock. Audio commentary from most classes might be featured on IMSA radio at IMSA.com and RadioLeMans.com.
