Dario Franchitti debuts test run on 2012 Dallara DW12 machine – IndyCar news
Target Chip Ganassi Racing team driver Dario Franchitti tested the new 2012 Dallara DW12. The next season machine is powered by Honda engine while the test was held at Sebring.
Dallara’s new car is named DW12 after Dan Wheldon. He died in season’s final round on October 2 at Las Vegas during a multi car crash.
Though he conducted the test but he is still deeply hurt by the death of his former teammate who was also his friend.
He further expressed that he would have liked to take further rest but the job demands to be on track. As the next season is closing up, it is important to carry the testing for future.
Franchitti said, “It's tough for everybody on the team; it's tough for everybody in the IndyCar community right now. The timing is not good right now, but if we want to show up next year in the best position possible we have to be doing it. I definitely
want to do my part.”
Ganassi Racing’s second driver Scott Dixon also tested the new DW12 machine. The Andretti Autosport driver Ryan Hunter-Reay drove a Chevrolet powered DW12.
Honda and the returnee manufacturer, Chevrolet tested the new package for 2012 IndyCar season. For the next season cars will be powered by six-cylinder turbocharged engines.
Franchitti added, “We're at the beginning of a long development process. It will be a busy couple of months. I'm really appreciative of Dallara naming the car after Dan; he did put a lot of work into it and he did a really good job of not telling us anything.”
He further commented that Wheldon was discrete about the testing he was doing with Honda. Though many fellow drivers tried to get information but he never let anyone know anything.
The team owner, Gian Paolo Dallara has revealed that the team has yet to do a lot of investigation and crash analysis on the incident. The Sam Schmidt chassis of Wheldon’s car is still under legal custody.
At the moment, the team does not have appropriate and enough data to testify the crash. Apparently, the crash was triggered by a car that slowed down on a corner entry, but it was not a significant slowdown.
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