IndyCar: Cosworth engine decision expected in next month

[FLRacingFan]

Sounds awfully promising. Alfa Romeo badge, back in IndyCar? Hell yeah.

The Verizon IndyCar Series should know whether it will have a third engine manufacturer before it reaches the season finale on August 30.

Famed Formula 1 and Indy car engine manufacturer Cosworth has an IndyCar design ready to go, and according to its owner, the motor could be on the grid in 2015.

"Yes, we are in serious discussions with a number of companies – two in particular – and it doesn't take a huge imagination to think about who might be bringing a new car into the U.S. for the first time in a long time," Cosworth owner Kevin Kalkhoven told RACER, possibly alluding to Alfa Romeo. "Specifically, the project with one manufacturer is going to final recommendation sometime in the next month. That decision's going to be binary: Yes they will, or no they won't."

The FIAT-owned Alfa Romeo brand competed in the CART Indy car series as recently as 1991, and by 1995, the Italian manufacturer exited North America altogether. Under FIAT CEO Sergio Marchionne's guidance, Alfa is expected to return to our shores through in 2015.

Full article: http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/105602-indycar-cosworth-engine-decision-expected-in-the-next-month

 

[KevinWI]

Would be kind of neat.

 

[PushRodV8]

Cool. I'll be honest I was not expecting Alfa Romeo. Was thinking Mercedes or Mazda.

 

[Kiante]

Man, CART had so many manufacturers back in the day.

I remember Buick and Oldsmobile plasters all over IRL.

CART in its prime had Honda, Toyota, Mercedes, and Ford... Wow, I would like to see more variation in IndyCar, it will drive down costs with more competition.

Ford and I would like to see Mazda. Twin turbocharged Wankel? I'd love to see that.

 

[KevinWI]

Ford and I would like to see Mazda. Twin turbocharged Wankel? I'd love to see that.

Ford ain't happening. A reporter cornered Edsel Ford, Jr. and asked him about it during the Detroit street race and he was militantly against it and said not while he was alive.

I have a hunch Ford is decreasing their motorsports spending. They are leaving the professional NHRA classes, plus some other anecdotal evidence and conjecture I've observed.

 

[Zerkfitting]

I would like to see more variation in IndyCar too but when Indycar had Olds and Honda supplying engines, Honda started winning and all the teams jumped to Honda. I think there were two chassis' at the time too and the same thing happened. I've seen it more than once in sports car racing where many manufacturers field a car but one dominates the series and the manufacturers leave.

 

[KevinWI]

I would like to see more variation in IndyCar too but when Indycar had Olds and Honda supplying engines, Honda started winning and all the teams jumped to Honda. I think there were two chassis' at the time too and the same thing happened. I've seen it more than once in sports car racing where many manufacturers field a car but one dominates the series and the manufacturers leave.

Part of that is blamed on corporate culture.

Back in the 90s, the "best engine" title was exchanged around between Ford-Cosworth, Chevy-Ilmor and Honda. When one engine manufacturer fell out being the best, they spent big $$$$ to re-engineer the engine for next year and be competitive again (like F1).

Now they just give up. Remember when Toyota and Chevy just left IndyCar in 2005/2006 rather than try to fix their engines to compete with Honda? IndyCar isn't a big enough priority for too many companies.