INDIANAPOLIS — When newly crowned champion Sebastien Bourdais and the rest of the Champ Car World Series drivers use the popular Cosworth Power-to-Pass feature during the Gran Premio Tecate Presented by Banamex at Mexico City, they are going to get something they always ask for — more horsepower.
In the 13 previous 2007 races, when a Champ Car driver utilized the Cosworth Power-to-Pass on the Cosworth/DP01, they would benefit from an additional 50 horsepower. The P2P boost is available for 60 seconds, to be used at a driver’s discretion during a race, providing a strategic element to Champ Car racing.
When drivers push the P2P button during the Nov. 11 season finale at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, however, they will have an additional 50 horsepower to enhance their ability to pass other cars, as well as additional 15 seconds of use (75 seconds total).
“We will analyze how a 100 horsepower Power-to-Pass feature will affect the racing so we can consider it for next year,” said Tony Cotman, Champ Car Race Director and EVP, Operations. “The Cosworth Power-to-Pass has been very popular with the drivers, and even more so with the fans who love our racing, which features more passing than most other racing series. Everyone assumes if we go up another 50 horsepower, it will add even more excitement, but we’ve wanted to wait until now because we didn’t want the experiment to affect the championship [clinched recently by Bourdais].
“Ultimately, we want the Champ Car to be the biggest, baddest machine to drive.”