In Driver’s Eye with James Hinchcliffe, the six-time INDYCAR winner will bring you inside the mind of a racer while breaking down the nuts and bolts of the sport for fans.
Spring time in Indianapolis is a beautiful thing. The snow melts, the weather warms, flowers start to bloom. But that has nothing to do with it.Â
What makes spring in Indianapolis so beautiful is the fact we are in the “Month of May” â as we in the sport like to call it.
When the calendar flips over to May 1, something in the air changes in Indy. Its tough to explain but undeniably felt by everyone who resides there. Smells are stronger, colors are brighter and there is an energy in the air that is palpable.Â
For INDYCAR teams and drivers, its the most important month of the year.
The Indianapolis 500 is the biggest motorsports event on the calendar. In fact, its the largest single-day sporting event in the world. There is no non-religious gathering of human beings on Earth bigger than the Indy 500. To be fair, some would argue that the Indy 500 is their religion.
So, how do drivers and their teams excel at Indianapolis Motor Speedway throughout the month and the biggest race of the year?
To be successful in the Month of May and at the Indy 500, there are two things that every team has to focus on more than anything.Â
The first is the three Ps: preparation, preparation and preparation. So much of your fate at the Indy 500 â and the crucial qualifying events leading up to it â is decided before the cars ever come off the trailer.Â
The offseason work back at the shop on engineering and pit stop practice, the hours dedicated to building the cars, the countless runs in the simulator â all these things add up and set the tone for how your Month of May could go.Â
It’s the difference between confidence and speed versus being miserable and frustrated for a whole month.
The second thing is, quite simply, execution.Â
There are so many things you have to do absolutely perfectly as a team over the month, and slip-ups can be costly. Throughout 500 miles on the iconic 2.5-mile track, uncontrollables are abundant and can negatively affect your race, so nailing each element you can control is vital to success. Especially when you need a little luck, too.
Let’s break down how INDYCAR drivers and teams attack the month leading up to the Indy 500, set this year for Sunday, May 24 (12:30 p.m. ET on FOX).
The first week of the month is all about what we call the Indy 500 Open Test.Â
The Month of May kicked off with the two-day test, which, ironically, was in the last week of April this year. Teams hit the speedway for the first time this season and dusted the cobwebs off before they come back in anger later this month for opening day of official Indy 500 activities.Â
Its usually to confirm and ensure all the systems on the car are working correctly, so time isn’t wasted when official practice begins.
This is also a great opportunity for the one-off entries â cars that aren’t full-time INDYCAR competitors â to get the team all together at a race track for the first time in a year, if not ever. There are only so many meetings and practice pit stops you can do at the shop before you need to go do it for real.
[INDY TESTING: Mick Schumacher’s First Time Driving Indy Oval]
After the Indy 500 Open Test, the se
