The new Indy car that debuted in 2018 drew rave reviews from competitors and fans alike for its sleek looks and race-ability. Now, the universal aero kit is earning postseason accolades.

Three men instrumental in the design and development of the aero kit used by all Verizon IndyCar Series entries this past season: Tino Belli, INDYCAR director of aerodynamics; Dialma Zinelli, Dallara’s chief aerodynamicist; and design consultant Chris Beatty were recently honored with the Dino Toso Award for their work on project.

The award, given annually by Race Tech magazine at the World Motorsport Symposium, honors the aerodynamicist of the year and is named for the prize’s first winner, Dino Toso, the highly respected chief aerodynamicist for Renault F1.

“The awards at the World Motorsports Symposium are decided by industry chiefs, so to get recognized by them is a massive honor,” Belli said. “INDYCAR, Dallara and Chris Beatty worked very well collaboratively to create an effective and nice-looking race car. It really ticked all the boxes that we were trying to accomplish in terms of competition, aesthetics and safety.”

Jay Frye, the INDYCAR president of competition and operations who championed development of the universal kit, said Belli, Zinelli and Beatty are “well-deserving” of the honor.

“Remember, this process started in the spring of 2016 and think about all that’s happened between then and now – the design, development, on-track testing and a full season of racing,” Frye said. “Overall, this car has exceeded expectations, and we couldn’t be more proud of these guys and happy they’ve been recognized for their incredible efforts.”