New RACER celebrates speed in many different forms

Being fast is what motorsports is all about, so it wasn't difficult to come up with topics for RACER No. 340, our annual Speed Issue.

There had to be a story breaking down a nitromethane-guzzling, 12,000hp, 330mph blast down the 1,000ft of an NHRA drag strip because the fact that a land-based projectile with powered wheels can reach such speeds – from standstill! – in under four seconds is mind-warping. Fortunately, we were able to get Funny Car legend Ron Capps to talk us through the process in his cool and rational way – but it left us actually more impressed. Things get extremely busy extremely quickly in nitro world, yet Capps didn’t chat about risks, just rewards – and facts. It was like reading a report from a modern-day Chuck Yeager.

We also wanted to explore Formula 1's greatest ever qualifying laps. Throughout its 76 years – until this year, anyway – one of the F1 World Championship's unbreakable threads has been qualifying: driver and machine against the clock. So even if the race becomes a no-passing drone, the previous day's sight of racers on the absolute edge will have been a compelling one.

There’s a raw, visceral animation in a car on a hot lap that you very rarely see on race days, when a driver must make the tires last for a whole stint. The aces will teeter on the highwire for 90 seconds or so, finding and then driving to the limit of a tire’s lateral and longitudinal grip. The Monaco Grand Prix has become renowned for, among other things, the minimal amount of passing on race day: but watch the onboard camera from one of the top guys on a quali run, and you’ll appreciate theirs skills forever.

Motorsport offers the chance to see speed in many different forms, so we've been able to get quite nuanced on the topic. If F1 is on the cutting edge of technology and, relative to spec series, allows its teams a free hand in design and an enormous budget, why is it that, barring major regulation change, the teams make only baby steps rather than leaps? When regulations remain the same, new cars are only ever iterations of their predecessors. Are the blue-sky thinking and trail-blazing ways – and yes, some intriguing blind alleys – of Lotus, Brabham, McLaren, Ferrari, Renault and Tyrrell gone forever?

One crucial way to save lap time and gain speed is on the brakes, and in this issue, we’ve examined the history of the improvements in braking technology in F1. It was interesting to see how few steps there have been, but how huge those steps were.

Human speed and slick human interaction is on show at every pit stop, and it was a pleasure to get time with the pit crew “drill instructors” for Hendrick Motorsports, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and the Haas F1 Team to learn about the differences and similarities between in-race services by NASCAR Cup Series, NTT IndyCar Series and Formula 1 crews, respectively. How often have we seen races won and lost on pit lane? The intricate, balletic mesh of movements can and has been broken down for us.

We also spoke to three Indy car legends and multiple Indy 500 winners – Rick Mears, Dario Franchitti and Helio Castroneves – to learn about the peak of their form, when they feel they were absolutely at their fastest, and how/when/if they recognized it. Their answers will surprise you.

With June fast approaching, we’re looking ahead to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the speed theme continues as strategists from the headlining Hypercar ranks talk about the fast decisions taken when, as usually happens, the race begins to move away from any pre-determined “Plan A.”

We’ve also taken a deep dive into The Heart of Racing's Aston Martin Valkyrie programs in IMSA and WEC, looked back on a season that changed the World Rally Championship forever, and raided the annals for one of the most significant Indianapolis 500s in the race’s 110-year history.

Plus, we talk with – deep breath – NASCAR champ-turned NHRA Top Fuel racer Tony Stewart, 2006 Indy 500-winner Sam Hornish Jr., F1 rising star and Max Verstappen teammate Isack Hadjar, our cover star/blur Pato O'Ward, Cup Series breakthrough winner Ty Gibbs and long-time Supercross ace Cooper Webb.

Oh, and a fast issue deserves a fast subject for our road car impressions, so Ferrari’s 12Cilindri Spider certainly fits that bill.

That’s a lot of great reading. But despite the speed theme, we suggest you don’t rush things – this is an issue to be savored, so sit back and enjoy the ride.

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