Formula and open wheel
Dallara IR18 INDYCAR
Braking numbers for the Dallara IR18 INDYCAR in iRacing, worked out from its grip estimate. Open any example in the Brake Planner to change the speed or corner.
Example braking zones
Fastest apex speed for each corner and the braking it takes to get there, assuming a corner arc of 100 m.
| Corner | Entry | Apex | Brake before apex | Time | Lock-up at 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast sweeper | 280 km/h | 235 km/h | 35 m | 0.50 s | From the start |
| Medium 90° corner | 250 km/h | 140 km/h | 67 m | 1.31 s | after 5 m |
| Hairpin after a long straight | 300 km/h | 99 km/h | 111 m | 2.26 s | after 4 m |
How to brake in the Dallara IR18 INDYCAR
Open-wheel cars have no ABS, so too much pedal locks a front wheel and flat-spots the tyre. The faster cars gain so much grip with speed that the pedal at the top of a long straight is far more than the car can take a few seconds later.
The result is a falling pedal line even in a straight line: hit the pedal very hard, then bleed it off steadily as the speed and the downforce drop.
- Big initial hit, then a steady release; holding the first pressure locks a wheel at low speed.
- Small cars like the Formula Vee and FF1600 behave more like entry cars: grip barely changes with speed.
- Watch the lock-up zone in the planner. It shows where holding full pressure would lock.
In a 90° corner at 250 km/h this means braking about 67 m before the apex and trailing the pedal down to 8% by the apex.