Indy Lights next-gen car delayed
The debut of the next-generation car for the Firestone Indy Lights has been delayed until after the 2014 season to provide more time for manufacturers and race teams to make a successful transition.
"While we have generated quite a bit of interest from a variety of manufacturers, we feel it's best to delay the introduction of the next-generation chassis and engine," series director Tony George Jr. said in a statement. "We want our teams, drivers and manufacturers to be competitive and successful, and if that means taking a step back to create a stronger series to support the economics of this long-term capital investment as well as a formula that we believe will allow our drivers to transition between Pro Mazda and the IZOD IndyCar Series, then we're willing to make sure the introduction is timed properly."
Indy Lights cars currently run a Dallara chassis and 3.5-liter, normally aspirated V8 engine.
"We continue to spend a considerable amount of time conducting due diligence, taking into account the needs of our teams, drivers, manufacturers and other key constituents to make our series stronger," George said. "This ongoing process has proven just how much people believe in Firestone Indy Lights and the entire Mazda Road to Indy driver development system."
