Brembo’s entry into Indy car racing took place in 1989, when it sold its first racing product to the Kraco Enterprises car driven by Bobby Rahal in CART. For the next 22 years, Brembo expanded and sold braking systems to several Indy car teams.
Brembo became the exclusive brake supplier to INDYCAR in 2012. The original brake system for the Verizon INDYCAR Series was a reliable and strong, yet lightweight, system that yielded high performance at a competitive cost. The Brembo system has been developed for use on both oval and road courses.
The system includes a Brembo engineered six-piston, monobloc aluminum caliper machined from billet with titanium-radiated pistons (28/30/36 millimeters) weighing a mere 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds). Brembo’s six-piston caliper increased stiffness and performance of the system without compromising INDYCAR’s weight requirements.
Seeking continuous improvement, Brembo increased the effectiveness of its Indy car braking system with a geometry change in the disc and pad in 2014. New rotor material with a new densification process was developed and a reduction in the annulus of the rotor and pad was implemented in order to help improve the stability of the system in the braking zone. This reduced the weight and provided more efficient cooling. These changes reduced the "warmup time" for the carbon, allowing parts to reach a stable operating temperature quicker.
“Brembo’s innovative braking system incorporates lightweight CER200 carbon-carbon rotors (324 mm x 30 mm), similar to rotors used in Formula One and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and CCR400 carbon pads,” said Dan Sandberg, Brembo North America president and chief executive officer. “These long-lasting components are suitable for the variety of racing circuits on the INDYCAR schedule. We’re proud that INDYCAR has selected Brembo products and are looking forward to another great season.”
Also in 2014, Brembo developed a new master cylinder designed to accept a travel sensor to acquire braking data. This helps Verizon INDYCAR Series teams gain a better understanding of how the brakes are performing on the track.
In 2015, INDYCAR implemented manufacturer-specific aerodynamic bodywork upgrades for the Dallara IR-12 chassis. The INDYCAR-approved “aero kits” were developed to improve on-track performance and enhance speed, innovation and safety. As a result of the changed bodywork, teams and drivers have noted that the new aero packages increase downforce, allowing drivers to brake later and release the brakes sooner.
Brembo has developed a dedicated INDYCAR site within the official Brembo website. In addition to technical data relative to the braking points of each circuit, this dedicated section offers race fans countless other fascinating facts about the braking systems created for Indy cars (www.indycar.brembo.com).
The 2015 season marks the 40th anniversary of Brembo’s entry into motorsports. Brembo supplied its first racing brake system to Ferrari in 1975 in the Formula One World Championship. Since then, the Italian company has invested heavily in research and development of highly innovative and technological products.
About Brembo SpA
Brembo SpA is the world leader and acknowledged innovator of disc brake technology for automotive vehicles. Brembo supplies high performance brake systems for the most important manufacturers of cars, commercial vehicles and motorbikes worldwide. Brembo is also a leader in the racing sector and has won more than 300 championships. Today the company operates in 16 countries on 3 continents, with 24 production and business sites, and a pool of around 7,700 employees, about 10% of whom are engineers and product specialists active in the R&D. 2014 turnover is € 1,803.3 million (12/31/2014). Brembo is the owner of the Brembo, Breco, AP, Bybre and Marchesini brands and operates through the AP Racing brand. For more information, visit us at www.brembo.com
