Huge surprise at the start of 2025 with the presentation this Friday January 10 of the Italian Prema Indyvcar team.
Indeed if we already knew the identity of the two pilots (Robert Shwartzman et Callum Ilott) of Scuderia Prema, which will discover and debut in the US Indycar single-seater series, we have officially learned of the recruitment of French driver Romain Grosjean, present as a reserve for the transalpine team
After his career in F1 Grand Prix (179 GPs and ten podiums) between 2009 and 2020, Romain Grosjean continued it, then starting a new experience by launching into the American single-seater championship of the Indycar series
Debuting in 2021 with Team Dale Coyne (13 courses – 1 pole)before being enlisted by the Andretti team in 2022 and 2023 (34 courses – 2 poles) then last year in 2024 by the Juncos Hollinger team (17 GP).
So here he is again in Indycar this time with the Italian Prema team which will debut in Indycar, while also driving this time full-time in the US IMSA Endurance Championship and as was already the case in 2024 for another Italian team, Lamborghini.
With the traditional 1era annual inaugural round of the calendar, the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, scheduled for January 25 and 26.
But back to Prema Racing, which officially launched its Indycar program today in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the ultra-modern GM Charlotte Technical Center, hosted by renowned motorsport journalist Will Buxton.
The owners of the Prema team, Deborah Mayer and René Rosin, have indeed revealed their Indycar program.
Rene Rosin declaring:
“We are proud to launch into a new world with Indycar and excited to have shared our vision with many new people. Our history and heritage define who we are today and guide the goals we wish to achieve. We hoped to convey that, and we hope everyone enjoyed learning about us as much as we enjoyed this first Indycar experience. »
CEO Piers Phillips gave an overview of the preparation process that gave birth to the US structure of the Italian Scuderia and the recruitment of personnel for the Italian team.
Presentation of the technical group led by director Guillaume Capietto and composed of many highly talented and experienced professionals, including Michael Cannon, the head of engineering.
Questioned Callum Ilott confided:
“The first thing that struck me was seeing the future team building. It was incredible in terms of size and what was going to be put in it. I think that was kind of the first step in terms of the scale and the effort that was going to be put into this. »
And he added again, Ilott, who won six FIA Formula 3 races for Prema in 2017:
“It made sense to reconnect with Prema and start something new. I think there are a lot of things that Prema does so well with a racing team that I think will translate equally well to the United States and to Indycar. I still have a lot to offer that I want to show in the United States, so it was kind of a natural coincidence. »
For his part Robert Shwartzman is also part of the Prema family, having won the FIA Formula 3 championship with the team in 2019, explained:
“I chose Indycar mainly for two reasons. The first is that this is a team that I have won with and that I know, so I trust them. The second is that the series has the best racing at this point. I want to get started and have even more fun discovering the driving of this series and its ovals. »
Remember that the racing cars are Dallara single-seaters with Chevrolet Chevy engines. They will wear the numbers 83 and 90. And that the former poleman of the Indy 500, the 500 miles in Indianapolis in 2012, the Australian Ryan Briscoe, was recruited as the team’s sports advisor.
Mark Miles, President of Penske Entertainment Corp, the promoter of the Indycar Series Championship, underlined the importance of the arrival of the Italian team, while the executive director of GM Motorsports Competition, Eric Warren spoke of the collaboration between his firm and the structure of Prema. And that the President of ndycar, Jay Frye welcomed the arrival and the arrival of a prestigious Team like Prema.
Prema is the fourth team since 2020 to join the Indycar series full-time, joining Meyer Shank Racing in 2020, and McLaren Racing and Juncos Hollinger Racing in 2021.
Let’s finish by specifying that PREMA’s Indycar workshops are located in Fishers, in the suburbs of Indianapolis.
The 2025 NTT Indycar Series season opens next Sunday, March 2, on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.
Peter GRISWOLD
Photos : INDYCAR – TEAM
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