Lotus Consolidates INDYCAR Team Line-up to Improve 2012 Results

Photo Credit: Group Lotus

“It was clear from the start that the 2012 season was going to be a huge challenge as Lotus debuted its INDYCAR engine, but it was a challenge that Lotus was determined to meet.” Group Lotus made this admission in a statement as they dropped news Tuesday changing their first-year commitment to the IZOD INDYCAR Series.

Citing lack of resources and minimal track testing, Group Lotus was forced into making a decision under a strategic review. Realizing their regular supply of engines to five IZOD INDYCAR Series teams was spreading the engine brand's efforts too thinly on the tour, the decision was made to withdraw support from two single-car teams. Ahead of the Indianapolis 500, Lotus is cutting ties to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing as well as 2011 Indy 500 winning-team Bryan Herta Autosport.

In the official statement from Group Lotus, the engine supplier conveyed the announcement as positive move to build a stronger race weekend presence through the upcoming events in the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series schedule. Claudio Berro, Director of Motorsport Group Lotus, referenced the freshman effort in the North American open wheel racing series as “David versus Goliath” fight. By reducing the availability of their twin-turbocharged V-6 engine, Lotus intends to better focus their development towards an equal playing field with Chevrolet and Honda. Through the rest of the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series tour, Lotus will center their open wheel racing program around HVM Racing and the Lotus Dragon Racing organization. Lotus is also going to add more resources and monetary assistance to the remaining efforts in the series.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will run Lotus engines for the final time for the upcoming Sao Paulo Indy 300 race this Sunday. Last week, Bryan Herta Autosport announced they were going to sit out the IZOD INDYCAR Series round in Brazil so the team can focus on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway activities from mid-to-late May. While two teams are now forced to seek out new engines, Randy Bernard, CEO of the INDYCAR sanctioning body, insures the #98 Bryan Herta Autosport car as well as the #22 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will have engine power for the Indy 500. “We support Lotus' decision and will assist Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and Bryan Herta Autosport in securing engine support for the remainder of the season” As of Wednesday, neither Bryan Herta Autosport or Dreyer & Reinbold Racing have issued an official statement in direct reaction to Lotus' decision.

INDYCAR Test Issue Prompts Chevrolet to Change Engines on All 11 Entrants

Photo Credit: General Motors

Returning to open wheel racing under brand new vehicle specifications rules in the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series, Chevrolet's rediscovery of the form of motorsport involved a most brief learning curve through the first two events.

Powering the winner in both the Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg and the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, the bowtie-badged twin-turbocharged, 2.2 liter powerplant has also collected the IZOD INDYCAR Series pole positions starting off both races. Entering the series on a triumphant winning note competing against the continuously-operating Honda Racing Development arm and the eager Group Lotus engine, all signs would indicate Chevrolet had the upper-hand on the 2012 open wheel racing tour. Team Chevy's IZOD INDYCAR race efforts will be dealt a surprising blow heading into the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

In April 9th testing at the Infineon Raceway for the IZOD INDYCAR Series teams, the Chevrolet-powered #27 Andretti Autosport car driven by James Hinchcliffe began suffering an engine ailment. Instantly requiring the #27 car to change engines which results in a 10-grid position penalty after qualifying at the upcoming Long Beach race for the Andretti Autosport vehicle and James Hinchcliffe in accordance to IZOD INDYCAR Series rules, Chevrolet performed a dedicated investigation into the failed engine. Taking a deeper look into the #27 car's engine, Chevrolet engineers cam to the realization that the issue occurring on Hinchcliffe's car had the potential of far-reaching affects to the whole Chevrolet camp in the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR including the juggernaut of Team Penske.

Ahead of this weekend's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, all 11 race cars powered by Chevrolet engines will have to be changed on the advice of auto manufacturer. "Through our testing in Sonoma, as indicated by an engine issue, we uncovered a problem that we believe could affect all engines. So, as a result, we feel it is prudent to change all engines prior to the start of the on-track activities this weekend." said Chevrolet Racing's IZOD IndyCar Series program manager Chris Berube. Providing no specific information on what was found in the Chevrolet powerplant powering James Hinchcliffe's Andretti Autosport car, Berube indicated, "We are still learning the limitations of the new engine controls calibration,". Chevrolet teams will still be able to compete for a qualifying victory in Saturday on the street course but will relinquish the qualifying spot ahead of the main event Sunday.

While Team Chevy IZOD INDYCAR Series competitors are understanding to the reason why the engine change needs to occur. Driver/owner of the #20 car Ed Carpenter responded, "It's obviously not ideal, but we're all playing by the same rules. It's the safest choice and, even though we're starting at a disadvantage from the get-go, it's better than potentially having an issue later on." James Hinchcliffe, the driver originally affected by the fault in the Chevrolet V-6 engine, expressed some lightheartedness in regards to the situation saying, "It's a bummer, but now at least I'm not alone."

Below, is the list of Chevrolet-powered competitors set to suffer from positions 10th place or lower starting the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday.

Car #	Driver	Nationality	Race Team
2	Ryan Briscoe	Australia	Team Penske
3	Helio Castroneves	Brazil	Team Penske
4	JR Hildebrand	United States	Panther Racing
5	EJ Viso	Venezuela	KV Racing Technology
8	Rubens Barrichello	Brazil	KV Racing Technology
11	Tony Kanaan	Brazil	KV Racing Technology
12	Will Power	Australia	Team Penske
20	Ed Carpenter	United States	Ed Carpenter Racing
26	Marco Andretti	United States	Andretti Autosport
27	James Hinchcliffe	Canada	Andretti Autosport
28	Ryan Hunter-Reay	United States	Andretti Autosport