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Dixon: Honda to Benefit from 2018 IndyCar Aerokit

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Mario Andretti IndyCar racing

Four-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon says that Honda will benefit from the series’ new universal aero kit, as it will cause Chevrolet to lose the superior manufacturer-produced kit it enjoyed for the last three years.

“The spread [of team performance] is smaller than it used to be,” he told Motorsport. “But I think at the start of the season, you’re going to see a lot more teams hitting it right to start with.”

“The competition to Honda last year had a very big advantage on the high downforce circuits: i.e. roadcourse and streetcourse and short oval. With an even field now with the aerokit, it’s definitely going to be a shift that will hurt [Chevrolet] more than Honda.”

Switching to a universal aero kit will reduce the performance gaps between the teams and cause the disparity between Honda and Chevy-powered teams to be almost entirely down to the engine, an area where most believe Honda has the advantage.


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Earlier this month, Rob Buckner, Chevy’s new IndyCar program manager and former engineer at Ilmor Engineering, suggested that the Chevy engine was at a deficit compared to Honda. It was rumored that Honda’s engine produced approximately 4% more horsepower than Chevy’s, but that this advantage was neutralized by Honda’s less efficient aero kit.

Ryan Hunter-Reay, on the other hand, believes the difference is not that clear cut. “I would say prior to Pocono last year, Honda had an engine advantage, yeah, but I’d say the competition is very close on power right now. They made some gains on us over the final few races of last season.”

Evidently, only one thing is clear: the competition in 2018 will be fierce.


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News Source: Motorsport