3 Key Advantages Of IndyCar For The Future

Explore the future of motorsports with IndyCar: an innovative, cost-effective, and environmentally conscious series poised for a popularity surge. Discover its unique blend of history, innovation, and strategic vision.

For those who are new or not as familiar with the broader motorsport world, the IndyCar series is Formula 1’s North American cousin. Named after Indianapolis, the city in which it was born, the series sits somewhere between Formula 1 and Formula 2 in regards to performance and lap time. Longtime rivals, both series have evolved in parallel to each other, so their storylines are somewhat similar and intertwined. We have even seen plenty of drivers cross between the series such as Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, and Jacques Villeneuve, all of whom have won the championship in both series. Also more recently we have seen drivers like Fernando Alonso, Marcus Ericsson, and Romain Grosjean make the switch.

In the last 20 years or so IndyCar decided to take the series in a different direction whereby teams would buy an engine and chassis from an approved supplier. This is different from Formula 1 where each team is required to build their own car, something that also happened in IndyCar up until 2003. This change drastically reduced the cost and therefore the barrier to entry for a lot of new teams.

I believe this and many other key factors position IndyCar as a perfect fit for the future, placing it in an enviable position to many other series around the world. Below I will highlight some of the key and unique features of the IndyCar series that place it in pole position for a future explosion in growth.

GEOGRAPHIC LOACTION

North America and the US in particular is giant in the world of sport with 8 of the top 10 most valuable sporting brands in the world. What makes this even more incredible is the fact that these brands belong to national leagues for sports that are not widely popular outside of the US. Therefore it seems that no one understands the business of sport quite like the Americans do. While this is a highly competitive market it is a market full of people that know what they are doing when it comes to building sports brands. The fact that teams from the NBA & NFL have become so valuable should be evidence enough that a domestic sports series can become a global brand. The profile of the motorsport industry has been lifted in recent years by Formula 1, and so IndyCar has a great opportunity to leverage this newfound interest in motorsport.

IndyCar is a destination for many drivers, but many also find their way there after racing in other series in other parts of the world. As mentioned above there are many ex Formula 1 drivers who have made their way to IndyCar, and many drivers drivers from other series around the world. Outside of the US, most of the world's top-level motorsports are based out of Europe, and therefore so are the drivers. This makes a switch to IndyCar all the more easy as it is just a quick trip across the Atlantic. Some drivers have even been known to continue living in Europe while competing. 

Another great point and one that could be what has helped other US sports reach a global audience, is the fact that the IndyCar races all start at similar times. Due to its global nature, Formula 1’s start times vary drastically with this year’s start times varying by up to 14 hours. The level of consistency in start times that IndyCar can offer is something that few high-profile racing series can offer. The nature of an international audience means the start times will not always be favourable for everyone, but if the start times are consistent then fans are both more willing and able to act accordingly.

ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK

Those who are also Formula 1 fans will know all too well about the FIA. This is the governing body of all world motorsport and therefore the body that governs the rules and regulations of Formula 1. While the teams and Formula 1 itself have a large amount of say in the rules and regulations of the series, the FIA (a separate organisation) is who sets the actual rules. This means that Formula 1 is essentially not in full control of its own regulations and the way it runs. 

The aforementioned rivalry between Formula 1 and IndyCar is just part of the long-standing rivalry between the wider US and European motorsports communities. As a result of this, the US has actually been granted a higher level of freedom and autonomy with its motorsports. Usually, each country will have just one local governing body that is given the responsibility of representing the FIA and governing the motorsports that happen within its shores. However, due to the size of the US motorsports industry, there are four bodies that govern motorsports in the country. One of those governing bodies is none other than IndyCar itself.

While they still have to abide by many of the FIA’s regulations this unique administrative framework gives IndyCar complete control over the regulations under which its series runs. This means that the series can be as nimble as the cars that drive in it and quickly make adjustments to its own regulations. This is probably one of IndyCar’s biggest tools in its toolkit as it is one of the few racing series anywhere in the world with this kind of control over its series. IndyCar has both the opportunity and power to move the series in whatever direction it deems most optimal on and off the track. This ensures that it can not only respond to changes in the world but create change too.

MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

This season marked the first season for which IndyCar was powered by 100% renewable fuel derived from the waste portion of sugarcane. This makes them one of the first major motorsport series to make the switch, with Formula 1 not due to make the same move until 2026. The fuel of the IndyCar series is supplied by Shell and comes with the bonus of a 60% reduction in carbon emissions, along with the already mentioned bonus of being 100% renewable. By pairing their own huge resources with the knowledge and resources of IndyCar, its drivers, and the teams I am sure that the 60% reduction in carbon emissions is just the start of bigger things to come. 

IndyCar has also recently been testing out more sustainable options for every aspect of their events, including the fan areas of the tracks. Building on initiatives trialled over previous years, IndyCar is really leading the way when it comes to sustainable sporting events in the US. Their round at the Iowa Speedway has received a Gold certification from the Council for Responsible Sport, recognising their efforts to reduce waste from their events. The tracks and event organisers worked collaboratively to recycle 72.96 tons of cardboard, bottles and cans, divert 160.65 tons of waste from local landfills, and donate 4.57 tons of food. This event is setting a great foundation for them to build upon and implement at all their events going forward.

IndyCar’s nature as a domestic race series also plays an important role here as the series freights all the gear to each race by road rather than air. It is well known that Formula 1 uses as many as 10 747 jets to freight team cars and essential items to each race outside of Europe. With Formula 1’s calendar becoming increasingly global this has only increased in recent years rather than decreased. The emissions of this freight are actually what make up most of the series’ carbon emissions and will be the biggest hurdle in its goal towards a carbon-neutral future. On the other hand, IndyCar is already way ahead in this domain, and with a calendar that is only a little shorter than Formula 1’s, I would say that this will remain for many years to come. Pair this with all the initiatives above and you have a series that is already meeting the environmental expectations of the next generation.

BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD FOR INDYCAR

While nowhere near as big as Formula 1, IndyCar holds its own in the world of motorsport. What it lacks in technology, compared to Formula 1, it more than makes up for in its on-track racing product. Paired with more fan activation and behind-the-scenes content I believe this along with the points above places IndyCar in the perfect position to have its own Formula 1 style surge in popularity.