Following the public debut this morning of the DeltaWing 2012 IndyCar design at the Chicago Auto Show, Panther Racing CEO John Barnes has offered his support for the concept.
"What has been proposed today by the DeltaWing group is a new light, a new vision, an open book, and a completely different approach to our sport," Barnes said in a statement. "Today's announcement is not as much about this car as it is a new philosophy and a much-needed culture change in the sport of open-wheel racing. This is about becoming part of the 21st century and not living in the 20th century. Every industry in the country is refocusing their efforts to become more efficient and it is time for the IZOD IndyCar Series to do the same.
"Our sport is one of the greatest on the planet, and in order to ensure longevity, and a bright future, it takes bold decisions by people who are fearless and unafraid of making dramatic changes." Barnes added. "Today, possibly more so than any other time in our sport, is that time. I applaud Chip Ganassi, Ben Bowlby and everybody associated with the DeltaWing group for their forward-thinking approach to our sport. This is a game-changer for us."
The Indianapolis-based DeltaWing is one of three groups of designs to go public in the past week, following Dallara and Swift. Lola has also announced that it is preparing its own Indy car design proposals, although it has not yet revealed them.