NEW IndyCar 2025 entry offer promising driver line-up update

The team have raced in F1 feeder categories for years

Rhys Thomas

Thursday 25 July 2024 17:00

Prema team principal Rene Rosin has offered an update on the team's progress as they prepare to join the NTT IndyCar Series in 2025.

The Italian outfit announced in April that they would be entering the American series with two cars from next year, and aims to establish itself 'among the major players of the sport'.

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The team has a strong reputation in Europe, involved in Formula 1's feeder series F2 and F3, karting, and the female-only series F1 Academy.

Graduates from the team include Charles Leclerc, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, and Esteban Ocon.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc won F2 with Prema in 2017

Wheels in motion ahead of Prema's American arrival

“We are in the full process of building up and organizing ourselves in the best way possible,” he said. “We have facilities in Fishers, which is 100,000 square feet. At the moment, we are building up all the offices inside and everything, and I think it will be fully operational by September onwards.

Rosin has ensured to equip his team his relevant experience. Former president of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and general manager of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (now Arrow McLaren) Piers Phillips in onboard as Prema's IndyCar CEO.

“I already have a few people starting now, let’s say we already agree on 50% of the staff,” Rosin said of his staff. “Of course, more people will be available when the season finishes. People from Europe, when the Formula 2 and Formula 3 seasons finish, because we want to bring some people from Prema within the Prema US entity.

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“We already order everything in terms of equipment in terms of cars, material, trailers. And everything is starting to fall in place, let’s say, after the European summer break – in September, October – is when everything nearly will be delivered in view of being prepared for next year and going racing.”

Regarding Prema's first driver line-up, Rosin has a shortlist in mind but was not inclined to reveal any names of commit to an announcement time yet.

“We have a certain idea. We’ve been approached by a lot of drivers, known by us and some have experience in America, some have no experience in America, so European-based and US- based, and I have to say now is the moment that the next month, month and a half, is now where of course I need to concentrate on that.

I’m really looking very positive on the driver’s side,” he asserted.

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Formula 1 Charles Leclerc Lance Stroll NTT IndyCar Series