iRacing | IndyCar 2020 Aeroscreen Update Available

[Paul Jeffrey]

I admit I missed this one initially - iRacing have recently updated the Dallara DW12 to 2020 specification - including the Red Bull Technologies designed 'Aeroscreen'.

Following on from the trend first pioneered by Formula One racing, should the new 2020 season of the NTT IndyCar Series have started as planned earlier this season at St. Pete, a new kind of driver cockpit protection would have made its competitive debut. Unlike the F1 Halo, the aeroscreen design adopted by IndyCar provides a full cockpit shield around the vulnerable helmet area, in a design similar in look to that found on modern fighter jets.

Created with the express intention of providing a level of protection to exposed drivers from contact with derbies and other cars, the IndyCar Aeroscreen is a new mandatory requirement from the start of this year (whenever that looks likely to be).

With iRacing holding the official licence to represent the current IndyCar model within their simulation, the studio have recently updated the car to feature this new device, giving virtual drivers the opportunity to sample what it feels like to be enclosed in the United States quickest open wheel racecar.

Check out the new trailer for the model below:

The new update is available now for iRacers who already own the current Dallara IndyCar.

Alongside the new aeroscreens comes an update to night lighting at the Texas Motor Speedway location, adding a nice visual effect to the circuit that brings it in line with the modern configuration of this 1.44 mile oval.


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[CC]

Thx Paul

 

[DND]

I may be in the minority but realism has it's limits and the aero screen would fall into the same category as the head protections on the seats or the window netting of hard tops that obstruct the mirrors. I know there are virtual mirrors but then again realism. Not to mention distracting and potentially an Optigrap lawsuit in the making.

 

[PosiSteve]

KILL IT WITH FIRE!

Jk it's quite okay imo

 

[Littlefysh]

That aeroscreen has the halo as a frame. It's essentially the halo with a screen over it. I still can't believe that F1 went with the halo.

 

[howitzer155mm]

I sure hope we can race without it....

 

[Deleted member 205301]

That was a nice surprise to have it as fast, thx the "virtual indycar serie" ...
An interesting thing Simon Pagenaud said about this aérosreen is that it moves a bit frontward the balance of the car ...and it's not the case in iracing
except that, It's the first "halo'car" in the service, we'll soon be use to it...
@++

 

[Nick Hill]

That's cool, nice touch of immersion. It does make the car look very much like a P1. On one hand, I am sad to see the classic "open wheel" look being slowly eroded away...on the other hand, safety comes first, especially in IndyCar where the ovals are so very dangerous. When I just off the top of my head think of the names that might still be with us if such precautions had been around years ago, I am not too proud to admit I feel very emotional and could easily choke up if I let myself.

I've also recently come into the possession of a vintage Formula Vee. Obviously, an FV is a far cry from an IndyCar but, speaking only from personal experience, there is a certain mental shift that you make once you've been physically strapped into an open wheel car. It's an enthralling experience, but there is also a palpable sense of the potential danger. And that's on a road course at ~100 mph. Extrapolate that out to 220 mph on an oval where you need to be within 1 ft of the wall to be quick. That is called serious guts. Halo/aeroscreen is the least we can do for these guys who risk their lives for our entertainment.

 

[Kieran89980]

I may be in the minority but realism has it's limits and the aero screen would fall into the same category as the head protections on the seats or the window netting of hard tops that obstruct the mirrors. I know there are virtual mirrors but then again realism. Not to mention distracting and potentially an Optigrap lawsuit in the making.

So let me get this right... because I think I am confused. You don't want to use the Virtual Mirror due to trying to be realistic but you don't want the cars to have the Netting and Head Protections as they are distracting? So what do you want, realism or not?

 

[DND]

@Kieran89980 My point is exactly that, as if I were in a real car I could tilt my head one way or another to avoid obstacles in my way

 

[tlsmikey]

It's definitely better than the little cone they had before.

 

[Furnace Inferno]

@Kieran89980 My point is exactly that, as if I were in a real car I could tilt my head one way or another to avoid obstacles in my way

You can in VR .

More seriously though no driver moves their head to avoid the central pillar because you don’t even see it once you’re locked in on the road even on a 2D screen. I drive the Formula Ultimate in AMS with it all the time and it’s not once obstructed my view of anything.

 

[MarcG]

@Kieran89980 My point is exactly that, as if I were in a real car I could tilt my head one way or another to avoid obstacles in my way

Therefore you need VR in your life

 

[Wayne Hutchison]

If you don't want the aeroscreen you can race the DW12 in hosted races. Only the IR18 that is used in official series has the new screen

 

[Wayne Hutchison]

That was a nice surprise to have it as fast, thx the "virtual indycar serie" ...
An interesting thing Simon Pagenaud said about this aérosreen is that it moves a bit frontward the balance of the car ...and it's not the case in iracing
except that, It's the first "halo'car" in the service, we'll soon be use to it...
@++

Per Eric Hudec of iRacing the updates includes

Things that changed with the addition of the aeroscreen:
Increased overall weight
Forward shift in weight distribution
Increases in vehicle Ixx, Iyy and Izz inertias
Increase in vehicle sprung center of gravity height
Changes to aerodynamic downforce, drag and center of pressure "

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[Kranky Pantz]

I love it!
Anything to make the sim more true to life the better.
If it's in or on the real car, I want it in my sim!
Same goes for safety, which these types of shields can provide.
Those drivers are there to race...not become injured or die from avoidable circumstances.

 

[turbo86]

Everything for the sake of "safety". I guess the next safety "feature" will be an 80% decrease in horsepower because you know, the most dangerous thing about racing is going FAST after all. We can't have that, can we?

 

[turbo86]

I love it!
Anything to make the sim more true to life the better.
If it's in or on the real car, I want it in my sim!
Same goes for safety, which these types of shields can provide.
Those drivers are there to race...not become injured or die from avoidable circumstances.

Well then why not just be done with F1 and WRC and NASCAR and Indy and whatever goes dangerously fast, and make Go Kart the premier racing championship. It's still racing, no shield required and probably more fun for most of the drivers.Even Senna said so. I bet it will also be more fun for us to watch as well. Much better than what F1 has to offer nowadays.

 

[mancSLO]

Indy: the way off life. Thx iRacing...

 

[Rory Wetherington]

I love it!
Anything to make the sim more true to life the better.
If it's in or on the real car, I want it in my sim!
Same goes for safety, which these types of shields can provide.
Those drivers are there to race...not become injured or die from avoidable circumstances.

So do you wear a fire suit and helmet? I mean how true to life do you take it.