09 April 2024 , 12:44
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Prema Racing, the former team of several top Formula 1 stars, has announced its entry into the American IndyCar series.
Founded in 1983, Prema has become a leading team in junior categories in Europe, including the direct feeder series' to F1. But now the Italy-based outfit is heading stateside for its first crack at the USA's top single-seater category.
Prema confirmed it will build a dedicated IndyCar facility in Indiana and plans to run two cars from next year. Team principal Rene Rosin said: "Today's announcement marks a pivotal moment in the history of Prema Racing.
"Making the step to the NTT IndyCar Series, and competing in the world-famous Indianapolis 500, is a dream coming true for our family and everyone involved in our business. We have tremendous respect for IndyCar, its unique challenges and sensational history, and we look forward to being part of it."
While largely unheard of in the USA, Prema has developed a reputation in Europe for developing talent progressing up the single-seater ladder. Nearly half of all current F1 drivers have represented Prema at some point in their careers.
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That includes three Formula 2 winners who all went on to race in the top category. Charles Leclerc won the 2017 F2 championship and is now the cornerstone of Ferrari's plans, while McLaren racer Oscar Piastri and former Haas driver Mick Schumacher also won F2 titles with Prema.
Other notable former Prema racers include Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll, Sauber's Zhou Guanyu, Logan Sargeant of Williams and ex-AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries. This year it is fielding two of the series' hottest prospects in Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman and Mercedes starlet Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Prema has yet to announce its driver line-up for its inaugural season in IndyCar next year, but RACER reports they plan to pair "an IndyCar veteran with a young talent it has developed on its ladder to Formula 1". The team will use Chevrolet engines after agreeing a customer deal with General Motors.
And even though his team is not yet even on the grid, Rosin is planning an expansion to its efforts. "Of course in the beginning we will not be able to do more than two cars, but we will then see if in the year ahead it can permit us to do something better," he told Autoweek.
"We know that this is a very challenging project, and we know that the road ahead of us will be quite difficult... When Prema does something it is of course to be a reference, to be part of the ball game, and to be able to perform, [but] it will be a learning process, especially in year one. We know it will be difficult so I don't want to put any pressure or expectation on the team."