Manufacturers interested in Indycar

[wedge]

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-impressive-guest-list-at-engine-summit/


SPEEDtv.com has learned that Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Fiat, Mazda and Volkswagen sent representatives to discuss the future specifications for Indy car racing. Engine builders Cosworth, John Judd, Ilmor and AER were also in attendance (of engine summit).

[Chaparral66]

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-impressive-guest-list-at-engine-summit/

Very cool to see that there was so much interest. One glaring omission was Ford, though their associate Mazda was there and their former associate Cosworth was there. Wouldn't they want in on this in a revitalized open wheel series in North America?

[champcarray]

Has anyone who participated in the summit spoken about it to the press? Any leaks of "insider info"?

[champcarray]

And why isn't Honda listed?

[Chamoo]

And why isn't Honda listed?

Don't start freaking out, they can't go anywhere until 2013. I think it was just assumed they were there since they are the current manufacturer. If you read the entire article, it says Honda was there.

[BenRoethig]

Very cool to see that there was so much interest. One glaring omission was Ford, though their associate Mazda was there and their former associate Cosworth was there. Wouldn't they want in on this in a revitalized open wheel series in North America?

I think at this point, Mazda is FMC's face in North American Open Wheel racing.

[JSH]

One glaring omission was Ford, ........Wouldn't they want in on this in a revitalized open wheel series in North America?

I think that "Being in on a revitalized open wheel series" is number 1,756,982 on the Ford "To Do" list.

[champcarray]

Chamoo -- Thanks. I haven't read the article and was simply surprised that Honda wasn't mentioned in the same breath as the others.

[Chamoo]

I think that "Being in on a revitalized open wheel series" is number 1,756,982 on the Ford "To Do" list.

Number 1 = Make Money

[weeflyonthewall]

Has anyone who participated in the summit spoken about it to the press? Any leaks of "insider info"?

Wasn't this more of a "heads-up" meeting? The ICS needed to promote themselves as the new and improved US-based OW series complete with all the latest statistical trollop. More teams, more cars, more sponsors, more fans, improving TV numbers.

[Chaparral66]

OK, but Ford Racing hasn't exactly been hibernating since they left Champ Car. They are in Grand Am, have a Mustang Racing Series that is featured in this month's Racer Magazine, and obviously NASCAR, to name a few. Why not get back involved in AOWR? They could work with Cosworth like they used to and badge the engines. This isn't that far fetched, is it?

[Jag_Warrior]

Number 1 = Make Money

I think it might be:

Number 1 = Don't lose anymore than we planned to lose
Number 2 = Survive
Number 3 = Make money

Oh, and Ford isn't selling Volvo. Just like they weren't selling Jaguar or Land Rover. This is a company that has mortgaged or sold everything just to survive. I doubt a new $30 or $40 million dollar motorsports program is being discussed in Dearborn these days.

[SarahFan]

Number 1 = Make Money

I could care less if the IRL ever makes money.....if the split proved one thing it's that IMS can support the sanctioning body of the sport...


make it affordable for real race tracks, teams, sponsors and manufactures

[garyshell]

I think that "Being in on a revitalized open wheel series" is number 1,756,982 on the Ford "To Do" list.


Number 1 = Make Money


I could care less if the IRL ever makes money.....if the split proved one thing it's that IMS can support the sanctioning body of the sport...


make it affordable for real race tracks, teams, sponsors and manufactures

Uh, Ken ya might want to look at the thread again. The discussion about making money was in reference to Ford, not the ICS.

Gary

[Giuseppe F1]

Im trying to understand why 'Volkswagen' and 'Audi' sent different representatives to this summit when they are part of the same parent in the VW-Porsche group??

Wouldnt any involvement in as high a profile OWR series as Indycar require parent company sign-off at a senior level for whichever VW brand?

Or, would the deal be similar to Toyota where they have TTE for F1 and TRD for US activities (Nascar, former CART etc??)

Just trying to get my head around this?

Plus, would the F1 manufacturers who attended - FIAT (Ferrari) and BMW......would any of the F1 (ie. Single seater) personnel have been in attendance such as Mario Theissen or Stefano Domenicali or would any Indycar involvement for these 2 firms be COMPLETELY separate from the F1 divisions and perhaps run through North American subsidiaries??

Surely if BMW were to commit to a Indycar engine program, they would consult their F1 team on their OW single-seater engine knowledge and expertise to glean every possible insight and competitive advantage - even if the engines are to be Turbos, there would still be some lessons in such knowledge transfer one would have thought???

Look forward to peoples views here



P.S: Also would have expected to have seen HYUNDAI on this list - werent they sniffing around Champcar a few seasons ago IIRC?

[wedge]

It's only a preliminary meeting, nothing to serious as yet. There's more meetings set in the future.

You know things will be getting serious when the likes of Ulrich and Theissen coming to town.

[Jag_Warrior]

Im trying to understand why 'Volkswagen' and 'Audi' sent different representatives to this summit when they are part of the same parent in the VW-Porsche group??

Wouldnt any involvement in as high a profile OWR series as Indycar require parent company sign-off at a senior level for whichever VW brand?

Or, would the deal be similar to Toyota where they have TTE for F1 and TRD for US activities (Nascar, former CART etc??)

Just trying to get my head around this?

Plus, would the F1 manufacturers who attended - FIAT (Ferrari) and BMW......would any of the F1 (ie. Single seater) personnel have been in attendance such as Mario Theissen or Stefano Domenicali or would any Indycar involvement for these 2 firms be COMPLETELY separate from the F1 divisions and perhaps run through North American subsidiaries??

Surely if BMW were to commit to a Indycar engine program, they would consult their F1 team on their OW single-seater engine knowledge and expertise to glean every possible insight and competitive advantage - even if the engines are to be Turbos, there would still be some lessons in such knowledge transfer one would have thought???

Look forward to peoples views here



P.S: Also would have expected to have seen HYUNDAI on this list - werent they sniffing around Champcar a few seasons ago IIRC?

Great questions.

I don't know why VW and Audi would both send reps. They are part of the same family and VW Group of America includes Audi. Porsche, while it holds a major investment stake in VW/Audi, is still very separate from those two (for now). VW is set to make a major push into North America very shortly, and they're planning a new production facility in the U.S. to support that expansion. A motorsports program makes sense for VW, though Audi already has an established and successful motorsports program.

Fiat is an oddly structured concern. Fiat Group holds a majority ownership position in Ferrari, but Ferrari operates autonomously. Fiat Auto now owns Maserati (bought from Ferrari a couple of years ago... after Ferrari bought it from Fiat several years before that :rolleyes :) , Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia. It's more likely that Fiat's presence would have to do with Alfa, or possibly Maserati. Alfa is set to make a return to North America next year, so I would guess any inquiry would be for that brand. Rumors around Detroit are that Fiat Auto/Alfa wants to partner with a U.S. maker to begin building cars here by 2012 or so. Unless Chrysler goes belly up before then, many seem to think there'll be a partnership with Chrysler. I'm guessing Ford, because I don't think Chrysler is going to survive that long. A motorsports program makes sense for Alfa Romeo. I doubt Ferrari had any involvement in the meetings, but I don't know.

On BMW, or any other maker that has a connection to F1, I'm sure they would share whatever technical data they could. Ford/Cosworth and Toyota/Red Bull have both used data gathered in F1 to the benefit of their NASCAR programs. The programs themselves have remained separate. Dan Davis, of Ford Racing, had nothing to do with the Ford backed Stewart Racing or Jaguar F1 programs. He directed only the North American racing efforts: CART/CCWS, NASCAR, NHRA, Grand Am, etc. The same was true of HPD's Robert Clarke.

Like you, the name that surprises me by its absence is Hyundai. Cosworth was rumored to be close to a deal getting Hyundai to badge an engine in the IRL a couple of years ago... some tweaked derivative of the Chevworth, I assume. But nothing more was said about that. And from what's said these days, Cosworth is currently in pretty rough shape.

Brian Barnhart's recent interview, where he spoke of five engine manufacturers possibly being too many, reminded me of Kalkhoven's foolish statements a couple of years ago, about possibly needing to cap the number of Champ Car entries. It's fine to talk things up. But when you get ridiculous, one wonders how prospective sponsors/manufacturers assess that, as they consider making a major investment. Honda is staying. If another one or two can be secured (that will activate), that would be a major step forward.