iRacing to introduce new Dallara IR-18 IndyCar in March 2018 update
On February 27, iRacing staff member Tony Gardner surprised the sim racing community by announcing that the brand new Dallara IR-18 Indy car will be introduced to the simulation in the upcoming March software build.
The car will debut the week of the Verizon IndyCar Series season opening race in the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, and its presence will be felt immediately.
Dallara's universal aero kit, titled the IR-18, will be featured in the weekly iRacing official fixed oval and open set-up road series starting with 2018's season two of competition on the service. Additionally, the car will be implemented mid-season to the Indy Elite Series, starting with the third round of the championship at Milwaukee on Sunday, March 18.
Most importantly, it signals an end of an era for the Dallara DW-12 Indy car at the iRacing Indianapolis 500. It was the car used for each iteration of the race from 2014 to 2017, and succeeding the Dallara IR-05 chassis that was in competition from 2010 to 2013.
Implementing a new car (in this case, a new aero kit) is always a challenge to the sport when teams had an abundance of data compiled from four years of DW-12 competition.
This could provide opportunities for non-traditional top-split drivers to enter the broadcasted iRacing Indianapolis 500 on Saturday, May 19.
While the biggest change falls within the chassis' aerodynamic make-up, the IR-18 ditches the rear wheel guards that hampered the DW-12's performance. Eliminating this bodywork and streamlining the rear end of the car as well as the sidepods has shifted weight forward in the car, which also alters its center of gravity.
Certain concepts of previous DW-12 set-ups will transfer to the new car, while some re-engineering of other aspects of the car will be necessary.
If anything, the introduction of the IR-18 will provide added excitement to iRacing's premier event this May. The iRacing Indianapolis 500 will be held in four runnings between May 18 and 20, with the premier broadcasted race being streamed by RaceSpot TV and iRacing.com/live on Saturday, May 19 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern.
Qualifying for the event will kick off the evening of Monday, May 14 and run through Friday, May 18. Stay tuned for additional announcements regarding the Watkins Motorsports Group's participation in their fourth year at the iRacing Indianapolis 500 this spring.
Images courtesy of iRacing.com Motorsports Simulations
