Making History - Lola's Vision

As chassis suppliers propose their approaches to the Indy Racing League (IRL) to win their business in defining the new IndyCar formula in 2012, Lola, a legendary name that can boast three Indy 500 wins has put their ideas on the table. While Lola has a marvelous history in many forms of motor racing and there is every reason to believe they would fulfill the objectives defined by the League, there is a larger question about vendors in general.
 
Many observers complain about the current formula. Some call the cars ugly, but I can only guess as to why they think that. And that guess is that we have a single source supplier - Dallara - and, of course, aside from color schemes, all the cars look the same. Add to this fact consider that there have been few obvious-to-the-eye changes since the original IRL formula was introduced in 1996 and a distinct lack variety for a long, long time. With the bulk of the Indianapolis 500's history producing some wildly different approaches to finding advantages that has produced six-wheel cars, side-car designs, side-winder engines and turbine powered cars. None of that anymore. Just the same cars year after year with subtle changes so difficult for even loyal fans to discern that television commentators use high-tech graphics technology to circle some obscure aero bodywork.
 
Whether Lola prevails as the supplier to the IRL is almost a moot point. Certainly not to Lola, of course, or their competitors Dallara or Swift. But I can't understand how it won't be a moot point to the fans. Sure, their will be a flurry of interest at the unveiling moment, but the realization that this is the new way every car will look the same will quickly settle in. With the maturity of the automobile, the League is caught between a rock and a hard place. The only way for any supplier to make money on the deal is to enjoy the economy of scale that can only be achieved by becoming the single supplier. That leaves them with no competition and free-market advocates will always tell you competition stimulates innovation and produces best of breed.
 
All that said, I am not sure how much the cars would vary even if their were five chassis suppliers. With automotive technology as such a mature state and CAD models telling us basically there is only one best way to slip through the air, how much different can they look? Remember the G-Force alternative to Dallara in early IRL days?
 
Will the new formula make things better? I'm sure it will. Will it be a startling breakthrough? I guess that depends on how easily you are startled. I still want to see the rule book thrown wide open to electric and hydrogen powerplants - hybrids too. Invite the innovators in to exploit relaxed regulation on nascent technology. Allow IndyCar to lead development of technology truly relevant to what is needed to shape the next century - and help the United States build new industries, a new economy.