[indycar] 2015 INDYCAR Aero Kit

Aero kits manufactured by Chevrolet and Honda were being tested at COTA in hopes of providing new bodywork for the 2015 IndyCars, but Chevrolet says that a representative version of its 2015 IndyCar aero kit will not be unveiled until the homologation process is completed, despite spy shots of an early iteration appearing.


Spy shots show Chevrolet's high-downforce road course kit which show the retention of the overhead air intake, a completely re-worked front wing and scultped front wing endplates.




An onlooker managed to capture a handful of long-distance images of Chevrolet track-testing a version of its aero kit at Circuit of The Americas.  The shots, which quickly circulated through the internet, represent the first time that images of aero kits from either of IndyCar's manufacturers have made it into the public arena.



Both Chevy and Honda are creating unique aero kits for their respective cars that will not only change the look of the field but will also make each car far more efficient.


Possible Aero Config

According to IndyCar.com, Chevy’s IndyCar programme manager says that these new aero kits will “allow Chevrolet to impact a wider bandwidth of car performance, which comes with increased responsibility to our teams to put them in a position to win.”



The idea behind these aero kits is to provide engine manufacturers to have more say in how their specific car runs. Now, not only will manufacturers be able to control the engine homologations, but they will also be able to control the performance aspect of the car on an aerodynamic level.



Drivers and teams will also be asked to follow a set of rules when using specific aero kits. Chassis manufacturer Dallara will still be providing teams with standard parts for the car, but now engine manufacturers are allowed more freedom to innovate new parts. The IndyCar rulebook states that no entrant will be allowed to use more than one aero kit in a one session. The only exclusion to this rule will be for the Indy 500 where multiple aero kits will be allowed between practice and race sessions.



Other improvements to the 2015 IndyCars is a removal of the current floor and replacing it with one that has a reduced surface area. With this new floor,a significant amount of weight will be taken away which will also give manufacturers more leeway to play with downforce in their aero kits.


Currently Chevrolet and Honda are the only two manufacturers set for the 2015 season but IndyCar has said that they are open to entering new manufacturers to the field.


Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing Program Manager for IndyCar, did not address the images directly, but he reiterated that the design is still in development:


One intriguing item, for now, is Chevy's retention of the overhead air intake for its 2.2-liter twin-turbo V6 engine. Aero kit rules allow freedom in the region occupied by the air intake and engine cover, and if hints from earlier in the year are true, Honda could race without the IRL-style air inlet. Chevy would be expected to try a low-line engine cover of its own before deciding on the best option.