The last race of the 2011 IndyCar series in Vegas was supposed to be a grand event. It turned into an unimaginable nightmare, marked by the tragic death of British driver Dan Wheldon.
You have to admit, however, that the outcome of this crazy race was more or less inevitable. Everyone knew that “something big” was going to happen.
Waving a multi-million dollar cheque in front of any driver who managed to win a race was bound to entice a few to push beyond reasonable limits.
Last May, Jacques Villeneuve told me he wasn’t interested in competing in this race. He thought it could easily turn into a disaster given the ridiculous amount of money being thrown about.
So the race started with 34 cars on a too-short track, just 1.5 miles long (2,400 meters) – with corners on a 20-degree angle. At the blistering speed of 220 mph (354 kph), the body is made to endure extreme lateral acceleration forces. All your blood moves to one side of your body and your thoughts become troubled.
So imagine when at least ten of those 34 drivers have little or no experience on these heavily inclined oval tracks where cars reach dizzying speeds. The aerodynamic turbulence experienced in the tight pack of cars is extremely disturbing.
What I’m going to say next will sound cruel. Over time, IndyCar has become a scapegoat series for moderately talented drivers who don’t have enough money to pursue their career elsewhere in the world. Who had heard of Sebastian Saavedra, Pippa Mann, Ana Betriz or Jay Howard before they took up in IndyCar? With a resume that could fit on a post-it note, they found themselves a ride in teams that can’t survive without the financial input of moneyed drivers.
Even the stars of the IndyCar series have some pretty unexciting career experience. Will Power finished 5th just the once in the British F3 series. Helio Castroneves finished 3rd in the same championship. Scott Dixon racked up a 5th place in Indy Lights, Dario Franchitti a 4th in the British F3, and Ryan Briscoe really hasn’t managed anything significant other than his F3 Euro Series title. I know it sounds harsh, but it’s true.
In comparison, the top F1 drivers all have championship titles under their belt. Sebastian Vettel won the Formula BMW series and finished 2nd in the F3 Euro Series, Lewis Hamilton clinched the title in F3 and GP2, Fernando Alonso won the Nissan Euro Series and Michael Schumacher finished 1st in German F3.
The drivers are well aware of the risks inherent in their sport. But there were too many aggravating factors with the Las Vegas race.
For me, it was more of a circus show than anything else. They sent drivers out in precarious conditions under the pretext that it would provide a fantastic spectacle and an electrifying end to the season. It had all the makings of a disaster. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first questionable decision from IndyCar execs.
You have to admit, however, that the outcome of this crazy race was more or less inevitable. Everyone knew that “something big” was going to happen.
Waving a multi-million dollar cheque in front of any driver who managed to win a race was bound to entice a few to push beyond reasonable limits.
Last May, Jacques Villeneuve told me he wasn’t interested in competing in this race. He thought it could easily turn into a disaster given the ridiculous amount of money being thrown about.
So the race started with 34 cars on a too-short track, just 1.5 miles long (2,400 meters) – with corners on a 20-degree angle. At the blistering speed of 220 mph (354 kph), the body is made to endure extreme lateral acceleration forces. All your blood moves to one side of your body and your thoughts become troubled.
So imagine when at least ten of those 34 drivers have little or no experience on these heavily inclined oval tracks where cars reach dizzying speeds. The aerodynamic turbulence experienced in the tight pack of cars is extremely disturbing.
What I’m going to say next will sound cruel. Over time, IndyCar has become a scapegoat series for moderately talented drivers who don’t have enough money to pursue their career elsewhere in the world. Who had heard of Sebastian Saavedra, Pippa Mann, Ana Betriz or Jay Howard before they took up in IndyCar? With a resume that could fit on a post-it note, they found themselves a ride in teams that can’t survive without the financial input of moneyed drivers.
Even the stars of the IndyCar series have some pretty unexciting career experience. Will Power finished 5th just the once in the British F3 series. Helio Castroneves finished 3rd in the same championship. Scott Dixon racked up a 5th place in Indy Lights, Dario Franchitti a 4th in the British F3, and Ryan Briscoe really hasn’t managed anything significant other than his F3 Euro Series title. I know it sounds harsh, but it’s true.
In comparison, the top F1 drivers all have championship titles under their belt. Sebastian Vettel won the Formula BMW series and finished 2nd in the F3 Euro Series, Lewis Hamilton clinched the title in F3 and GP2, Fernando Alonso won the Nissan Euro Series and Michael Schumacher finished 1st in German F3.
The drivers are well aware of the risks inherent in their sport. But there were too many aggravating factors with the Las Vegas race.
For me, it was more of a circus show than anything else. They sent drivers out in precarious conditions under the pretext that it would provide a fantastic spectacle and an electrifying end to the season. It had all the makings of a disaster. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first questionable decision from IndyCar execs.