IndyCar drivers were pleasantly surprised by yesterday’s first race on Detroit’s new street circuit, having predicted a processional and crash-filled race.
While the 100-lap event was not short of incidents, with seven caution periods covering a total of 32 laps, drivers found more overtaking opportunities than they expected around the angular track.
“I think we had more grip than I expected,” said race-winner Alex Palou, who was one of several drivers to criticise the circuit ahead of Sunday’s race. “The track kept evolving with our sessions and with other series, like Indy Nxt and Trans-Am cars.
“You could see the driving lane, it was black, all full of rubber. That allowed for some more overtaking. I was able to pass some cars that were a lap down or at the back. I was able to pass Will, he was able to pass me as well. Was able to pass Rossi, as well.
“I thought there was going to be zero passes, honestly, without a crash. So it was better than I expected. Obviously we had quite a lot of yellows, but everywhere you go, if there’s a street course, you’re going to have a lot of drama.”
Several overtaking moves were made into turn three at the end of the track’s long straight. However the braking zone which led into it was extremely bumpy, and Palou says more work to flatten the approach “would help” encourage more passing.
“There’s big bumps on the right side, so it’s quite easy to just go on the left and defend. When you go on the right, it’s not that it’s bumpy, but you lose a little bit of speed by just touching. That’s why it made it more difficult.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Felix Rosenqvist, who rose from ninth on the grid to finish third, said the track gained more grip than other street courses as the weekend progressed.
“I thought during the race it really came alive,” said the McLaren driver. “It was cool. The steering was heavy, you’re carrying a lot of speed. Even on full tanks, we were doing like qualifying lap times.
“This is cool, you’re doing some good corner speeds. You have to be so focused. Bouncing between the walls, it’s insane how much effort goes into it mentally to do 100 laps out there, especially when you have to race other guys around you. I think it was a cool challenge and awesome show for everyone.”
Will Power also believes easing the bumps would create better racing. “Having that long straight with the hairpin is definitely good,” he said. “I think next year if they resurface the second half of the straight you would have more passing. It was tough to go on the outside.”
Detroit Grand Prix chairman Bud Decker said a lot of work was done on the turn three bumps this year but they may be able to make more improvements ahead of IndyCar’s return in 2024.
“The things we can look at improving upon are the turn three braking zone,” he said. “We ground the hell out of the concrete, which is why it really ate up those softer tyres because it was like a cheese grater. I told my guys, if you keep grinding, we’re going to have a dirt track.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
The promoters will consider the views of drivers to determine what improvements to make for next year. “We did Lidar [scanning] at the end of February,” said Decker. “We had another scan done on Thursday, just this week.
“We’ll take that and look at where those are. We’ll get the feedback of the drivers. I’m not a person that doesn’t want feedback. Their feedback is very valuable. We’ll get that and we’ll account for it.
“We’re not going to do a lot of that until probably next year because our roads change so much here, especially concrete, it moves so much around. But we’ll make those changes next year before the race.”
The 2.6 kilometre circuit uses some of the same roads as used for F1 and CART IndyCar’s Detroit races between 1982 and 1991, when the track measured over 4km in length. However drivers such as Palou hoping the current track will be extended are likely to be disappointed.
The race promoters originally hoped to make the new track closer in design to the original, including the tunnel section. “But we couldn’t do it,” Decker explained. “We couldn’t find a place after the tunnel to have the cars go back the other way through the tunnel. It would be pretty cool.
“We are where we are because once you go anywhere east, then you’re in a neighbourhood. You guys drove through the neighbourhoods to get here. We can’t go anywhere west because of the tunnel. We can’t go anywhere north because then you’re in business.
“We have what we have. At one time we were going to go all the way down Atwater and turn on Brevard – too much of a square. Our issue was finding a pit lane. The original pit lane was around Atwater Street, but we couldn’t fit it in there, so we did the dual pit lane. [So] we are where we are.”
Become a RaceFans Supporter
RaceFans is run thanks in part to the generous support of its readers. By contributing £1 per month or £12 per year (or the same in whichever currency you use) you can help cover the costs of creating, hosting and developing RaceFans today and in the future.
Become a RaceFans Supporter today and browse the site ad-free. Sign up or find out more via the links below:
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
