Dallara DW12
| Category | IndyCar Series |
|---|---|
| Constructor | Dallara |
| Designer(s) | Tony Cotman Luca Pignacca Sam Garrett Andrea Toso |
| Predecessor | Dallara IR-05 |
| Successor | Dallara IR-28 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Chassis | Carbon fiber monocoque with honeycomb kevlar structure |
| Suspension (front) | Double A-arm, pushrod, with third spring and anti-roll bar |
| Suspension (rear) | As front |
| Length | 201.7 in (5,123 mm) on road/street course, short ovals; 197.33 in (5,012 mm) on 1.5-mile intermediate ovals, superspeedways and Indianapolis 500 (Mk. III) |
| Width | 75.5 in (1,918 mm) minimum (Road/Street), 75.75 in (1,924 mm) minimum (Ovals), 76.5 in (1,943 mm) maximum (measured outside rim to rim) |
| Height | 40 in (1,016 mm) including onboard camera |
| Axle track | Max. 76.3 in (1,938 mm) |
| Wheelbase | 117.5–121.5 in (2,984–3,086 mm) adjustable |
| Engine | Chevrolet Indy V6 (2012-present), Honda HI24TT (2012-present) and Lotus Indy V6 (2012) 2.2 L (134 cu in) V6 90° with 4-stroke piston Otto cycle with efficient combustion process and greater emission engine burning single (Honda in 2012-2013)/twin-turbocharged (supplied by BorgWarner), mid-engined, longitudinally-mounted |
| Transmission | Xtrac #1011 6-speed AGS (Assisted Gearchange System) sequential semi-automatic paddle-shift + 1 reverse |
| Battery | Braille ML7Ti 12 volts |
| Power | 550 hp (410 kW) on speedways, 575 hp (429 kW) on 1.5-mile ovals, 650 hp (485 kW) on short ovals and road/street courses + 50 hp (37 kW) on push-to-pass |
| Weight | 1,650 lb (748 kg) on 1.5-mile speedways, superspeedways and Indianapolis 500; 1,680 lb (762 kg) on short ovals; 1,690 lb (767 kg) road and street courses (including additional of aeroscreen) |
| Fuel | E85 (85% ethanol + 15% gasoline) (2012-2022): Sunoco E85R (2012-2018) Speedway E85 (2019-2022) 100% renewable E85 (85% ethanol + 15% biofuel): Shell V-Power Nitro+ E100 (2023-) |
| Lubricants | Pennzoil (rest of IndyCar Series teams), Ridgeline Lubricants (Chip Ganassi Racing) and Lucas Oil (Arrow McLaren) |
| Brakes | Brembo (2012-2016) later PFC (2017-present) carbon discs and pads. Brembo (2012-2017) later PFC ZR90 (2018-present) 4-piston (all oval races)/6-piston (road/street course races) calipers |
| Tyres | Firestone Firehawk dry slick and treaded wet tires O.Z. Racing and BBS wheels |
| Clutch | AP Racing CP8153-DE03-SN 3-plate carbon with steel housing |
| Competition history | |
| Notable entrants | All IndyCar Series Teams |
| Notable drivers | All IndyCar Series Drivers |
| Debut | 2012 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg |
The Dallara DW12 (formally named the Dallara IR-12) is an open-wheel formula racing car developed and produced by Italian manufacturer Dallara for use by the cars in the IndyCar Series. The DW12 was first used in the 2012 IndyCar Series season, replacing the nine-year-old Dallara IR-05 chassis. It is to be replaced by the planned Dallara IR-27, whose arrival has been pushed from 2027 to 2028 by engine-production delays, supply chain delays and money problems.
Under a deal negotiated by the IndyCar organization, each chassis costs $349,000. Since 2015, Honda and Chevrolet have offered alternatives to the Dallara aerodynamic kit. No IndyCar chassis has been used for a longer period of time.
The DW12 added safety features such as a partial enclosure around the rear wheels and a redesigned front section intended to prevent single-seater crashes such as the one that killed Dan Wheldon, the chassis' test driver and namesake. Wheldon was killed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16, 2011, the final race of the previous IR-05. The nomenclature recalls that of the old Formula One team Ligier, whose cars were labeled JSxx after French F1 driver Jo Schlesser, who died in the 1968 French Grand Prix.