How will the F1 drivers fare at Indy

[KC]

With the drivers complaining last year about the mid-90 degree (38-39C) temperature at Malaysia, how are they going to fare at Indy in September? The temperature is likely to be in the 95 to 100 degree range (39-41C) and the humidity will be in the 80% range making the heat index around 120 degrees (48C). All of this does not include the temperature inside the Brickyard which will climb at least 20 deegrees higher than ambient due to the enclosed structures and expanses of concrete. Track surface temperatures regularly reach over 160 degrees (70C) during a normal sunny day. How will they fare with the dehydration and furnace like conditions in late summer Indiana? I would imagine that the ones familiar with the US will be hoping for a wet race. No doubt they will soldier on no matter what, but it wouldn't hurt to ask Nigel Mansell what its like to race over here. I remember him passing out after racing at Phoenix a few years ago, and they have no humidity there.

[EERO]

Its an interesting thought KC, but isn't Sept 23 technically Autumn?
I have to believe that at that Northern Latitude that there is as much a chance it will be cold and wet in late September. It has to beat mid-winter at Watkins Glen in early October.

Given a hot Indian Summer day in late september, it could be pretty brutal,. Schumache r seems to be the most fit and most able to withstand those conditions. I won't be surprised to see some of the more frail drivers end up in the wall though going into the first turn and rejoining the oval.

[Dannyboy]

I too can't imagine temps being that high late september. Track temp at Montreal was 140 last year so I don't think it will be a problem. Fitness doesn't matter ask Nigel Mansell.

[Jay]

I am not sure why it would be that hot at that time of year at Indy, but if it is, it won't be a problem. It was about 35 degrees for the Canadian GP last year, and that is the outside temperature. The cockpit must have been unbarable. They didn't like it, but it wasn't a problem.

[Jay]

I am not sure why it would be that hot at that time of year at Indy, but if it is, it won't be a problem. It was about 35 degrees for the Canadian GP last year, and that is the outside temperature. The cockpit must have been unbarable. They didn't like it, but it wasn't a problem.

They can deal with it, and hopefully nest year, after everyone complains about the infield track, they will move the race to Long Beach.

One can only hope.

[Liz]

Lots of people in California already believe F1 races in Long Beach. Some of them go to the CART races thinking they are looking at Ferraris because there are Red Cars racing.

I would think that the boredom factor would be worse than the heat in Indianapolis - the town is no Monte Carlo. One can imagine Jean Alesi asking, "What is this team, John Deer, everyone has on his cap?"

[Redneck]

Or better yet...

Jean Alesi meets one of the locals who has something to drink with a little more kick than champagne.

It looks like there will be an excellent turnout for the race. All 200,000 reserve tickets have already soldout, and there are no motel rooms within 70 miles. And the race is still 3 months away.

[Jay]

I guess Indy is finding out what a real race is like .

[Bononi]

So the guys in USA doesn't like F1 ? Huhn ?
I wish it could turn the american racers and teams to get more involved with the gategory... what could happen then ?

[KC]

Indiana will still be quite warm in September. The US is a lot further south than most Europeans realize. England is about the same latitude as Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Indianapolis is about the same latitude as Valencia, Spain. While it is possible to start getting some cool weather during the Midwestern Indian Summer, most likely it will still be hot.

[Minardi fan]

Shame the track is one of the worst on the calendar though.

[Jay]

What Minardi Fan said.

The circuit is like Monaco with Tamburrello on the side.
There are many many better tracks in the US, and they chose one that had not even been built, and now that it has it looks like it will surely get the title as worst circuit on the F1 calender. Why couldn't they have gone to Long Beach. F1 could do with another street circuit.

[CARTfan]

It will most likely be in the mid to high 70's. I live not far from Indy and to the south and I can't recall it ever being that hot here in September. weather.com lists average high temps in indy from September to October as 82 and 73 respectively. (In F) So I very much doubt in late September it will be in the mid 90's there. At least I hope not.

[Liz]

The F1 pilotes will do very well at Indianapolis. They will have had plenty of sleep as there will be nothing else to do.

[floid2000]

As usual , All of the drivers will complain about weather ,the track,and probably the American press.It's just a shame they had to build a go cart track on the grounds of one of the worlds great speedways. But.......We all know F-1 drivers are too scared to run at speeds over 200MPH.