BAT Engineering and its three Indianapolis 500-winning designers – Bruce Ashmore, Alan Mertens and Tim Wardrop – have released new 3D design renderings to accompany their bid to build the next IZOD IndyCar for 2012.
First publicly announced in March, the BAT Engineering proposal builds on the experience and innovation that the three designers bring to the project. The BAT Engineering proposal is among those now under consideration by the IndyCar Series Advisory Committee to manage and guide the selection process as the future of the sport is charted.
“The [advisory] board is exactly what we were hoping for and we are extremely pleased that IndyCar has taken this professional step,” said Mertens. “The Indy Racing League is doing a great job, and by adding this level of protection for the fans and teams then we are assured that the design chosen will have succeeded the toughest possible process.”
Beyond setting new standards in mechanical grip and aerodynamic efficiency, the core concentrations for the BAT Engineering proposal focus on driver safety, creating a platform that will generate close racing, and a well-developed plan to enable the entire project to be designed, built, and supported using American labor within a 30-mile radius of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. BAT Engineering says it has developed plans to forge partnerships with state and local organizations to foster the development of hundreds of new jobs in the Indianapolis area to support the next IZOD IndyCar.
“This level of investment by the teams deserves such a secure process,” said Tim Wardrop. “We are confident that the right design will be chosen, and we certainly feel as though our proposal targets the same ambitions for the future of the IZOD IndyCar Series that the fans, owners, and drivers all have."
“As part of the process of getting feedback from everyone who has an interest in this new design, I had the opportunity to meet Randy (Bernard, Indy Racing League CEO), and I have to say that I think he's exactly the guy that this sport needs to move forward,” added Ashmore. “We have to get this right, the first time, for it to be successful and bring the sport and this race to its rightful place, and we feel that the BAT Engineering design can best do that. We're excited to bring more renderings to the public, as we've been very pleased with the fan feedback we've had so far.”