The NTT IndyCar Series is set to introduce a new rear crash structure on all of its cars next season, leading to safer impacts on ovals and street courses.
According to a report by RACER, chassis supplier Dallara has developed an updated design for the structure, called an attenuator, and will have it ready for teams to use at the first race of the 2023 season on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.
The new crash structure was initially designed to coincide with the series’ new 2.4-liter hybrid engines, with the new power plants giving the car extra weight that needs to be slowed down in the event of a crash.
The introduction of the new power units have been pushed back to 2024, but it was decided there was no reason not to roll out the new attenuators for the upcoming season.
The early adoption will also give series officials a chance to examine real-world crash damage to determine if additional changes are needed to the design for when the new engine is run on track the following season.
“The key thing about the new attenuator is, it’s longer and the shape has changed,” IndyCar director of aerodynamic development Tino Belli told RACER. “This new profile helps the attenuator retain its shape while it’s being crushed in a rearward impact, and that allows it to crush in a much more predictable way.
“The whole idea here, because it’s longer, is to use the extra distance to reduce the peak Gs and the average G in a rearward impact, to better slow and soften the hit. It is also lighter. Even though it’s longer and bigger, it’s lighter. And all of the wing mounts are exactly the same with the same bracketry.”
Josef Newgarden suffered a hard rear impact during the second race of the Iowa double-header last season, and subsequently lost consciousness in the paddock after being cleared by medical examiners.
Even though he was never definitively diagnosed with a concussion, and his fainting spell was not able to be conclusively linked to his crash, it is hoped that a more-controlled rear impact structure will help to prevent similar issues in future incidents.
An updated rain light is also being designed into the end of the structure, which will be brighter and more easily seen by following drivers in adverse conditions.
