New lighter Aeroscreen for Long Beach this weekend

[Hard Driver]

New lighter titanium halo already this year and a lighter aeroscreen is coming this week for road courses:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeQQR-bY-Ic


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb3TpurMupU&t=191s

7.2 lbs off the halo and more off the 33% reduction in acrylic thickness. Lighter magnesium transmission case. 2nd half of the season with the hybrids, the cars will be over 800 HP for the first time since Champ Car. Will be interesting to see lap time improvements this year. St Pete already set the lap record after 20 years this year.

[SteveH]

How much weight does the hybrid add? I had read concern a while ago that the added weight might negate any performance increase. But I've not followed it since.

[pfc_m_drake]

How much weight does the hybrid add? I had read concern a while ago that the added weight might negate any performance increase. But I've not followed it since.
I believe you are correct. As I recall at the last hybrid test that they conducted the hybrids were slightly faster than the old engines. But like you I haven't been following the issue closely so don't quote me on it.

[TravelGal]

THIS week? Anyone going to Long Beach? I'm planning to slip on down there for Friday and Saturday through qualifying. Unless I decide I've had enough on Friday. :gomer:

[SteveH]

https://x.com/champwebdotnet/status/1780627026782625969

[SteveH]

https://x.com/JennaFryer/status/1780598491728998751

[pfc_m_drake]

THIS week? Anyone going to Long Beach? I'm planning to slip on down there for Friday and Saturday through qualifying. Unless I decide I've had enough on Friday. :gomer:
We'd consider it but I've been on the road for work literally every week for the last 2 months.
As discussed - let's shoot for next year!

[Anteater]

THIS week? Anyone going to Long Beach? I'm planning to slip on down there for Friday and Saturday through qualifying. Unless I decide I've had enough on Friday. :gomer:

Mr. Anteater and I will be at Long Beach at least part of the day; just not sure exactly when. Hope we bump into you, TravelGal!

[Hard Driver]

How much weight does the hybrid add? I had read concern a while ago that the added weight might negate any performance increase. But I've not followed it since.

https://racer.com/2024/02/07/850hp-potential-for-indycar-once-hybrids-go-live/

Looks like 60 HP electric on top of push to pass will push total horsepower past 800 for the first time since ChampCar. A little extra power off low speed corners. Supposedly the units could get up to 100 HP boost in the future. I haven't seen any actual lap times reported, but they I doubt it is too significant.

[pfc_m_drake]

In previous hybrid tests, it was common for the heavier car — saddled with roughly 100 more pounds — to lap road courses around two seconds slower than the DW12 in its non-hybrid configuration. This week, newfound speed was on display as Kirkwood matched and slightly eclipsed the 1m11.277s by dipping into the 1m11.1s range in the full 2024 hybrid version of the DW12.

Being 0.1s faster than his best from the Jan. 22-24 during non-hybrid visit to Homestead-Miami isn’t a guarantee that IndyCar’s hybrid cars will perform at the same impressive level at every circuit on the calendar, but it offers hope that outright speed won’t be sacrificed once hybridization goes live this summer.

https://racer.com/2024/02/01/indycar-makes-huge-strides-with-first-hybrid-test-of-2024/

So maybe they'll be faster but maybe not.