Indy 500

[Lurch]

Are you kidding me?!  Indy cars now have a button on the steering wheel that they can push for 20 extra horsepower for 15 seconds.  They can use it 15 times and have to wait 10 seconds after use before pushing it again.  Life imitating video games...

[Limey]

Are you kidding me?!  Indy cars now have a button on the steering wheel that they can push for 20 extra horsepower for 15 seconds.  They can use it 15 times and have to wait 10 seconds after use before pushing it again.  Life imitating video games...

F1 had something similar to that last year, and abandoned it.  The idea was that it would increase overtaking, but the drivers tended to use it defensively.  They'd wait for the attempted pass, then hit the button.  It was a waste of time.

[Alkie]

It was a waste of time.

Tell me about it.

Oh, you meant the button.

[Rebel Jew]

the drivers tended to use it defensively.  They'd wait for the attempted pass, then hit the button.  It was a waste of time.

that sounds terrible.  IRL must really be desperate

[Limey]

that sounds terrible.  IRL must really be desperate

The only thing interesting about the F1 technology was that it was a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), which turned F1 cars into sort of a hybrid.  And, occasionally, it would electrocute the driver if he grounded himself while trying to get out of the car.