Teams and drivers have been notified that providing the 25-car field is in correct two-abreast formation through Turn 11, the acceleration zone for the polesitter – Team Penske-Chevrolet’s Scott McLaughlin – at the start of the race will be the exit of Turn 12, onto the pit straight.
The idea is that the field will have stretched out by the time the cars arrive at the brake zone, and there won’t be the traditional aggressive four-into-two-won’t-go shambles at the notorious Turn 1 right-left-right chicane. Will Power, who will start alongside teammate McLaughlin on the front row, spelled out the issue earlier today explaining that it’s all too tempting for drivers to try and slice up the inside at Turn 1 to make places on those attempting to run the traditional racing line up to hard-braking for Turn 2.
So although McLaughlin will get the green early out of T12 and therefore the cars arrive at Turn 1 that much faster – therefore decreasing the margin for error in terms of entry speed on cold tires – the hope is that passing maneuvers there will see cars running two abreast, rather than three- or four-abreast, allowing more room for lateral adjustments in line.
The weekend’s support races in the Road To Indy have seen organizers try to reduce Lap 1/Turn 1 speed by waving the green flag late on the straight, but chaos has ensued due to the cars still being packed so close together.
IndyCar has also informed the field that drivers who shortcut Turn 2 by going on the left side of the curbing there “must make every effort to utilize the second Turn 1 runoff chicane [nearest to Turn 3 exit]. Failure to follow this procedure will result in a review and penalties may apply.”
