INDYCAR Drivers Lean on Simulators for 2 New Street Races as Markham's 2.19-Mile Repave Scrambles Prep
Updated
Updated · FOX Sports · Aug 13
INDYCAR Drivers Lean on Simulators for 2 New Street Races as Markham's 2.19-Mile Repave Scrambles Prep
3 articles · Updated · FOX Sports · Aug 13
Summary
Two back-to-back debut street races in Markham and Washington, D.C., have made driver-in-the-loop simulators INDYCAR teams' main preparation tool before race weekend.
Laser-scanned road models help drivers learn corner sequences, rhythm and approximate braking points, but veterans warn grip, bumps and braking references can shift sharply once cars reach the real temporary circuit.
Markham poses a bigger mismatch because the entire 2.19-mile course was repaved after the simulator scan, leaving drivers' virtual read on grip and bumpiness largely outdated.
That fresh surface should deliver more consistent grip, fewer bumps and allow stiffer, lower car setups, while also enabling a more varied layout with elevation than many street circuits.
Sunday's Markham race opens a new chapter for INDYCAR in the Toronto area after 40 years of racing on the former downtown Toronto street course.