Motorsport Week
  • Formula 1
    • 2023 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2023 Formula 1 Standings
    • 2023 Formula 1 Team/Driver Line-Up
    • 2023 Formula 1 Driver Penalty Points
  • Formula E
    • 2022/23 Formula E Standings
    • 2022/23 Formula E Calendar
    • 2022/23 Formula E Team/Driver Line-up
  • IndyCar
    • 2023 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2023 IndyCar Driver Line-Up
    • 2023 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2023 WRC Calendar
    • 2023 WRC Standings
    • 2023 WRC Driver Line-up
  • MotoGP
    • 2023 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2023 MotoGP Team/Rider Line-Up
    • 2022 Championship Standings
  • WEC
    • 2023 WEC Calendar
    • 2023 WEC Hypercar Team/Driver Line-up
  • More
    • IMSA
      • 2023 IMSA GTP Team/Driver Line-up
      • 2023 IMSA Calendar
    • Formula 2
      • 2023 Formula 2 Race Calendar
      • 2023 Formula 2 Driver Line-up
    • Formula 3
      • 2023 Formula 3 Race Calendar
      • 2023 Formula 3 Driver Line-up
    • DTM
    • WSeries
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
LIVE
No Result
View All Result
  • Formula 1
    • 2023 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2023 Formula 1 Standings
    • 2023 Formula 1 Team/Driver Line-Up
    • 2023 Formula 1 Driver Penalty Points
  • Formula E
    • 2022/23 Formula E Standings
    • 2022/23 Formula E Calendar
    • 2022/23 Formula E Team/Driver Line-up
  • IndyCar
    • 2023 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2023 IndyCar Driver Line-Up
    • 2023 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2023 WRC Calendar
    • 2023 WRC Standings
    • 2023 WRC Driver Line-up
  • MotoGP
    • 2023 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2023 MotoGP Team/Rider Line-Up
    • 2022 Championship Standings
  • WEC
    • 2023 WEC Calendar
    • 2023 WEC Hypercar Team/Driver Line-up
  • More
    • IMSA
      • 2023 IMSA GTP Team/Driver Line-up
      • 2023 IMSA Calendar
    • Formula 2
      • 2023 Formula 2 Race Calendar
      • 2023 Formula 2 Driver Line-up
    • Formula 3
      • 2023 Formula 3 Race Calendar
      • 2023 Formula 3 Driver Line-up
    • DTM
    • WSeries
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Motorsport Week
Home Single Seater IndyCar

Johnson has learned to feel each component of an IndyCar

by Kevin Dejewski
1 year ago
A A
0
Johnson has learned to feel each component of an IndyCar

Jimmie Johnson now understands how to feel each component of his car. Photo: Kevin Dejewski

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Jimmie Johnson is in the midst of his second season in IndyCar, and he is beginning to understand how to feel each piece of the open wheel car around him.

Coming from a stock car background, Johnson was not accustomed to being able to pinpoint problems with each component of the car.  The weight, size, and general design of a stock car puts drivers a literal arms-length away from most of the critical parts of the car.

The design of an open wheel car, on the other hand, is much more direct.  The driver is placed directly in front of the engine and an inch above the pavement, resulting in many drivers being able to ‘feel’ the car in ways not possible in other motorsports.

Open wheel cars are also more sensitive than stock cars, meaning any parameter that is out of the optimal zone can result in a dramatic fall in performance.

RelatedPosts

NTT extends title partnership deal with IndyCar

NTT extends title partnership deal with IndyCar

7 hours ago
IndyCar engine manufacturers hold 2024 hybrid test at IMS

IndyCar engine manufacturers hold 2024 hybrid test at IMS

3 days ago

Through training and experience, Johnson is now understanding how to interpret all the forces being fed into his body, and is using that information to better manage his tires, brakes, and other components individually.

Speaking to MotorsportWeek.com, the seven-time NASCAR champion described how he has a whole new set of information to process now that he knows what to look for.

“I can [feel each part of the car],” said Johnson with a smile.  “It’s wild.  I follow all forms of motorsport, and I’ve heard Formula 1 and IndyCar guys talk about this.  I’m like ‘It’s not that way in a [NASCAR] Cup car.  I don’t get it.’  I believe it, but I don’t know what that feels like.  But after a year of doing it, I totally get it.

“IndyCar really rewards a confident driver.  The way you turn the tires on to make them work, the way you utilize the downforce, the way you utilize the brakes.

“We talk about a spiral.  Once you lose confidence, there’s this downward spiral that affects braking, affects tire performance.  You just end up ‘off.’

“From my Sebring test to my sim prep, definitely a marked improvement.  Confidence, lap time, delta to my team-mates…  We’re definitely in a much stronger position.”

Johnson put on a much stronger performance in this season’s opener, and has ambitions to fight in the top half of the field soon. Photo: Kevin Dejewski

Johnson was buoyed by his new ability to wrangle his single seat #48 machine, and is hopeful it can lead to real improvement on track.

He also was confident that his knowledge of the tracks on the schedule will give him even more pace, and that will combine with his experience in the car to produce results in the top half of the field soon.

“Having a year under my belt is helpful,” continued Johnson.  “Clearly from a track perspective, a team perspective, I now have a foundation to build off of.

“There’s a lot of stress removed, where last year I had to worry about everything and this year I’m worried about much less.

“First goal is I need to qualify better.  I think qualifying is my gateway to a mid-pack finish.  Better qualifying performance, then first and foremost getting in the top-15.  I think when I’m more regularly in the top-15, I can start looking for a top-10.”

Johnson finished in 23rd in the season-opener from St. Petersburg, but he was only one lap down and his qualifying time was nearly one second quicker over last year.

Anticipation is high for Johnson’s next race at Texas Motor Speedway, where he will combine his oval experience with an open wheel car for the first time.

Tags: ChipGanassiIndyCarjohnsonNASCAR
Share503Tweet314Share126

Related Posts

NTT extends title partnership deal with IndyCar
IndyCar

NTT extends title partnership deal with IndyCar

7 hours ago
IndyCar engine manufacturers hold 2024 hybrid test at IMS
IndyCar

IndyCar engine manufacturers hold 2024 hybrid test at IMS

3 days ago
IndyCar executives tour Argentine track to assess possible race
IndyCar

IndyCar executives tour Argentine track to assess possible race

6 days ago
Load More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NTT extends title partnership deal with IndyCar
IndyCar

NTT extends title partnership deal with IndyCar

March 27, 2023
IndyCar engine manufacturers hold 2024 hybrid test at IMS
IndyCar

IndyCar engine manufacturers hold 2024 hybrid test at IMS

March 24, 2023

Drivers’ Standings

#DriverPoints
Will Power523
Josef Newgarden503
Scott Dixon503
Marcus Ericsson484
Scott McLaughlin482
Álex Palou457
Patricio O'Ward456
Colton Herta362
Alexander Rossi361
Felix Rosenqvist360

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

 

Motorsport Week

© 2023 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Other Links

  • About & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Motorsport Monday

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Formula 1
    • Latest News
    • Standings
    • 2023 F1 Calendar
    • Team/Driver Line-Up
    • Session Results
    • Driver Penalty Points
  • Formula E
    • Latest News
    • 2022/23 Formula E Standings
    • 2022/23 Formula E Calendar
    • Session Results
  • MotoGP
    • Latest News
    • Standings
    • Calendar
  • WRC
    • Latest News
    • Standings
    • Calendar
  • IndyCar
    • Latest News
    • Calendar
    • Standings
  • WEC
    • Latest News
    • Calendar
  • Live Updates
  • Other
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • WSeries
    • DTM
    • IMSA
  • Galleries
  • About/Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2023 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
X