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Honda looking forward to reset for 2020 IndyCar engine
Honda says the new engines in IndyCar slated for 2020 or ’21 will remain similar to the current layout, but that it welcomes a chance to rethink development.
Tom Errington
Edited: Mar 27, 2018, 4:06 PM
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IndyCar currently uses 2.2-litre turbocharged V6 engines and has done so since 2012 and the series is now exploring a significant power hike to the 550-700bhp engines currently used.
Honda has already gone on the record as being against hybrids, but it is keen to have development open up again after a period of stagnation.
Art St. Cyr, head of Honda Performance Developments, says he isn’t expecting huge changes in engine design.
“It really depends on what we're trying to do as a series,” he said. “Do we want faster cars, slower cars? We're working with the other manufacturer [Chevrolet] right now in determining what makes the most sense for the series depending on what the goals are.
“Now, I don't expect huge changes. We're not going to be 12-cylinder hybrids with energy recovery. We're not going to have that stuff. I imagine the package will be similar.”
St Cyr says that the lack of current development is because IndyCar is maximizing the current package and that Honda is keen to have another chance to develop a program from scratch.
“Obviously, we want to make enough change that it requires kind of a reset in what we're doing,” he said.
“With this engine, this is the seventh year. When you come up with a new engine, you have a capability to do some development. Every year you have less and less development available.
“When we started developing this engine, we were sole supplier. So, creating a bunch of power was not really in our mindset. Now that we're making more and more power every year, we're really on the edge of the reliability of these engines as well.
“Now that we know there is competition, now that we know competition is here to stay, we want a chance to really rethink how we develop the engine from the start. Obviously new blocks, heads, those types of things. How do we prepare for an increasing power era?
“As far as specifics, those things still have to be worked out. Really from a philosophical standpoint, it's a different starting point for us and any manufacturer that wants to join this next era.”
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