IndyCar drivers happy to see rolling starts after GP of Indy drama
INDIANAPOLIS -- When the Verizon IndyCar Series adopted standing starts for street and road courses in 2013, it was supposed to show the versatility and diversity of the international field of drivers. Instead the gearboxes and cars made many of the drivers look inept with stalls at the start of races as the procedure rarely went as planned.
The biggest catastrophe came at the start of last year's inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis when pole-sitter Sebastian Saavedra's car stalled on the frontstretch of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, triggering a massive multi-car crash that sent debris flying all over the course. Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard was hit by some of that debris and was transported to Methodist Hospital with some cuts and bruises.
During the offseason, IndyCar President of Competition Derrick Walker scrapped the idea of standing starts because it made the drivers "look like a bunch of idiots" and went back to the more traditional form of rolling starts after the pace car pulls off the track. That should eliminate any such carnage in Saturday's Angie's List Grand Prix of Indianapolis as the 25-car field has the long frontstretch to get up to speed before making the tight right-hand turn onto the infield portion of the IMS road course.
Most, but not all, of the drivers believe getting back to rolling starts is a good move for the series.
"Last year was a different circumstance because of the track surfaces," said three-time IndyCar Series champion and 2008 Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon. "It caught a lot of people out at the start obviously with stalling.
"You can beat this to death all the time. IndyCar racing has been rolling starts for, you know, as long as most of us can remember."
Graham Rahal, son of three-time CART champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, believes that history and tradition is what sets IndyCar apart from other forms of racing. The rolling start was introduced to racing in the very first Indianapolis 500 in 1911.
"I think Scott (Dixon) just said it -- IndyCar racing, you look at the history, it's not standing starts," Rahal said. "To me, you know, why mess with tradition? I don't think that we need to do that.
"Rolling start should be pretty good here. You have such a long straightaway, I'm sure guys are going to try to go early to get somewhat of a gap. It's not like Long Beach. Obviously that one wasn't a good one this year. The rest of them have been all right.
"With a straightaway this long, I think you can have a good, clean start, plenty of passing and opportunity."
Will Power is the defending Verizon IndyCar Series champion and early in his career established himself as IndyCar's "King of the Road" with his ability to win street and road courses. He took a shot at his three-time Indianapolis 500 winning teammate, Helio Castroneves.
"Well, if it's Helio, he'll have half a straight lead. Everybody else, it will be a normal rolling start," Power quipped.
One driver who actually preferred the standing starts is defending Grand Prix of Indianapolis winner Simon Pagenaud of France. He grew up with standing starts and thought it showed another side of the driver talent in IndyCar.
"Well, personally I like diversity, so I wouldn't mind a standing start," Pagenaud said. "I thought it was pretty fun. I like the excitement when the red light comes on and off.
"It is what it is. We just have to do the rolling starts."
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