In trying to change things up, IndyCar decided to go with standing starts for one of the two events at Honda Indy Toronto.
Going into the standing start, there were a lot of concerns and mixed thoughts due to the simple unpredictability about it.
“That’s going to be interesting, I don’t know what to expect,” Ryan Briscoe said going into the weekend. “I hope it all goes well. I don’t see why it won’t, but certainly something new to adapt to.”
“I grew up doing that,” James Jakes said before the weekend. “That’s all we did in Europe. So when I came over here, I was like ‘What? Rolling starts?’ So it should be fun. I’m looking forward to it.
“That’s going to be a big challenge for us,” James Hinchcliffe commented on the Thursday before the race. “We haven’t had a chance to practice that. A lot of guys haven’t done it in years so hopefully we get through it catastrophe free cause we got a race the next to run.”
One of the concerns was surrounding the clutch.
“The clutches – one of my engineers was speaking with the clutch manufacture that it wasn’t one of the critias when we developed these,” Justin Wilson commented a month before the event. “With a formula one series or other series that do standing starts, the clutch is designed to just slip. Ours, is more of an on-off spin. So you’ll see a lot of wheel spin or cars stalling.
“I think it’s going to be fun. It’s going to add another element. It’ll be nice to see the contrast between the two.”
With all the worries, it was a surprise when the first one went off without a hitch with everybody able to get going and make it into turn one cleanly.
“The standing start was awesome,” Sebastian Bourdais said after the race. “I enjoy it very much. I had an awesome start. That’s probably why I like it. I heard the fans enjoy it. There’s a big thumbs up for the series to try that.”
Now the first one is in the books, the question is being asked. Should IndyCar continue to do them?
Helio Castroneves said that he enjoyed doing the standing start, but they will have to look closely at what tracks it’s possible to do at that. There are certain street circuits that it may be more difficult to do and the ovals would be extra tricky with the banking and such.
Though Tony Kanaan says that he doesn’t agree with the move as he wants IndyCar to stick with tradition.
“IndyCar for me, it’s always been about rolling starts,” Kanaan said on the Friday before the event. “We’re talking about traition and stuff. Maybe tomorrow I’ll end up saying I love it. That’s just because of tradition. That’s my preference.
“I’m not against it. It’s just you guys asked my opinion. I said I don’t like it.”
In the end, Bourdais says it doesn’t depend what the drivers want, but what the fans want.
“If the fans love it, if it makes the event more profitable for the promoters, for the series, it’s a good thing,” Bourdais said. “We don’t have a say in it. We’re just the racers. We have our own opinion, but at the end of the day we’ll do whatever it takes for this series wherever it needs to go, and that is to bring it up. Bring it on. If it works, let’s do it.”
So what do you want? More standing starts or the rolling starts?
