The long evolution of Dallara's Indy 500 winner

Originally known as the Dallara DW12, IndyCar’s single-make chassis is virtually unrecognisable over a decade on from its 2012 introduction. Those close to the project explain why its enduring spec racer has no end in sight

Engineering

Our experts' guide on how you can become a better racing driver

IndyCar looked stale at the start of 2010, barely staggering through the economic recession and dwarfed by NASCAR. The excitement surrounding the 2008 unification of the Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series, to form the new IndyCar Series, had dissipated. The schedule comprised nine road/street courses, eight ovals, and spectator numbers at most venues were falling.

The cars reflected this stasis. The Indy Racing League’s spec Dallara IR-05 was never accused of elegance even when it emerged in 2003, but it had been developed for a largely oval series, whereas the Panoz DP01 used by Champ Car in 2007 had never seen an oval. Thus when the series merged, the attractive turbocharged Panoz-Cosworth was rendered obsolete after just a year of competition, and the obsolete-looking Dallara complete with raucous 3.5-litre normally aspirated V8 Honda became ‘the IndyCar’.