2024 NTT Indycar series - News, rumours and hijinx

[Everso Biggyballies]

Bottom post of the previous page:

https://racer.com/2024/08/19/meyer-shan ... o-ganassi/

MSR shifting their tech alliance from Andretti to Ganassi.

Hopefully that involves Linus moving to the 66.

Cue rumours re Andretti to GM engines in Indycar?

[John]

https://racer.com/2024/08/19/meyer-shan ... o-ganassi/

MSR shifting their tech alliance from Andretti to Ganassi.

Hopefully that involves Linus moving to the 66.

Cue rumours re Andretti to GM engines in Indycar?

Yep those are swirling. But I think GM are maxed out though?

[MonteCristo]

https://racer.com/2024/09/04/chip-ganas ... xt-return/

The Chipster is officially cutting back from 5 to 3 cars next year.

Makes way for Prema.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Not relevant to this year, and indeed it talks of future years so not even imminent, but its newsworthy so decided to post it here..... Will it come to anything or is it PR huff is a different question that is an extension of this. But talks have happened and thats better than not having happened. It has not been totally rebuffed. Some good points re Time Zones globally do hang in favour of down under though. For once.

IndyCar reveals Adelaide 500 talks

The Adelaide 500 could host the IndyCar Series as part of a non-championship, post-season swing in years to come

Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles has revealed he held talks with Supercars about the possibility of the series venturing Down Under.

The Adelaide 500’s move from its slot as the Supercars season opener to the season finale in 2022 has opened up the possibility for the street circuit to be considered.

Timezone-wise, a Sunday morning race in Australia would work well for broadcast windows on the east coast of the United States where the program would begin on Saturday night.

“[Supercars] was quite confident that they’d have a huge crowd, and we’d probably outdraw [Supercars],” Miles told Indy Star.

The revelation comes amid tentative plans for IndyCar to run a series of non-points-paying international races after the regular season concludes in September.

IndyCar suffers from a six-month vacuum between September and the start of the next season in March. A run of international races would bridge that void.

However, it could be years before the idea materialises.

“I don’t have a timeframe,” said Miles of when a non-championship swing could be started.

“We’re just trying to understand what’s possible. But I like the concept, and I think we can do a lot of good things with it if we can put it together.”

One thing is clear. Under the leadership of Roger Penske, the IndyCar Series will predominantly remain a North American-based single-seater series for the foreseeable future.

Miles said there is no chance that the series would look at an in-season race Down Under, for example, despite drivers pushing for it.

“We’re not going to do it. What we are going to try and do is have some international events that we can tie together in the offseason,” he said.

“I don’t think (the drivers) are worried about the economics. If someone wants to pay to go to Brazil, the logistical costs are $8 million, and then you either have a track, or you don’t.

“I respect them, and I love their enthusiasm. I very much want (to have international races), but I don’t want to do that by creating Swiss cheese in our North American championship calendar.”

IndyCar under its guise as the Indy Racing League raced wholly on ovals, road courses, and street circuits in the United States.

Its rival, CART, ventured all around the world with races in Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Japan, and Belgium, but was based in the United States.

IndyCar last raced in Australia in 2008 at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit.




IndyCar last visited the Gold Coast in 2008

Miles said building international interest is a focal point for IndyCar, and the potential for a three- or four-race non-points series could drive growth.

“We don’t want to be F1, where the whole thing is bopping around the world,” Miles explained.

“There’s lots of places that with the economics we probably could go race, but I don’t love the idea that we’d have a non-points race during the championship and take two or three weeks and create a hole.

“We don’t want to be popping around to wherever anyone throws us money. We want to have meaningful events that stand for something and can promote the brand.

“This is primarily to drive international fandom,” he said of the concept.

“That doesn’t mean we think it would be irrelevant to our US fans, but you have to switch the mindset and your priorities.

“[Hypothetically] If we raced in Australia, we’d want the biggest possible national broadcast for that race there.

“In all our (international broadcast rights) agreements, we’ve contracted so that they have the rights to our (regular season), but if we come race there, they don’t (automatically) have those rights.

“In terms of our domestic rights, Fox would have the first look. If they can accommodate it and want to, then great. But if not, it could be a different broadcaster.

“I’d rather not be somewhere where it would be 3 am in the Eastern time zone in the US, but the priority is a powerful race that’s a big deal in that market.”

https://speedcafe.com/indycar-news-adel ... ies-plans/

[MonteCristo]

Why they'd want to do it as a non-championship round is just baffling to me.

But would love to see it happen.

[Michkov]

Presumably it's another aspect of this idea
https://racer.com/2024/09/06/indycar-ev ... al-series/

I hope I'm wrong, but at this point any grand plans Indycar has that are not in the immediate future are highly unlikely to happen. See the oh so long promised 3rd engine manufacturer that is just over the horizon, etc.

[MonteCristo]

They certainly need to be in Mexico. There was big money there in times past.

[DoubleFart]

They certainly need to be in Mexico. There was big money there in times past.

Get a race in Mexico.
Get Sergio Perez in a top car
Profit

[MonteCristo]

They certainly need to be in Mexico. There was big money there in times past.

Get a race in Mexico.
Get Sergio Perez in a top car
Profit

Dale Coyne usually has a vacancy...

[Everso Biggyballies]

I had never rally thought of how long their off season in Indycar is, or will be with the broadcasting changes for 2025. 1st September through March is near as dammit half the year.

Reading thaat article and it seems any solution is not just around the corner and is several years away. I guess the price you pay when your broadcaster has another more popular property you have to play second fiddle to. Sadly these days any major sport needs the best media coverage it can get to keep sponsors happy. If the sponsors are not happy there is so money coming in that we know is not an option.

Quite a challenge ahead.... I guess the problems can be minimised with one off events and local talent like the Perez Mexico scenario but that isnt going to work on a global basis.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, certainly during the NFL Season......

[Everso Biggyballies]

I thought this might be posted already but cant find it, so...... (maybe it was just the Malukas part was posted. )

It is actuall just confirming a re-signing rather than wow type stuff. Just that its Ferrucci and I cant bring myself to be excited despite his potential talent that he has shown.

Foyt signs Ferrucci to partner Malukas for 2025 IndyCar season

Santino Ferrucci has been confirmed for his third year in the No. 14 Chevrolet alongside newcomer David Malukas, who will pilot the second entry.

“I’m happy that Santino’s back,” said A.J. Foyt. “We got to know him more and he got to know us, and I think it made a difference. He did a great job this year and I hope we have an even better year next year.”

The pairing of Ferrucci and Malukas gives the team an all-American lineup. Ferrucci’s new deal runs over multiple years.

In the bullshit quotes

"..... “I think Larry (Foyt) has done a great job the team so they are now in a position to win an Indy 500 and compete for championships,....”

lets see it! Convince me,

https://racer.com/2024/09/12/foyt-signs ... ar-season/

[Cheeveer]

It is undoubtable that Foyt and Ferrucci has taken another step this year. Lets see what they can make out of 2 fast drivers next year.

[MonteCristo]

Certainly the most competitive the team has been for years and years.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Certainly the most competitive the team has been for years and years.

Im not denying they are better than they were as a team, im just not sure they have done enough or got the drivers and the consistency to win a title with.

[MonteCristo]

Certainly the most competitive the team has been for years and years.

Im not denying they are better than they were as a team, im just not sure they have done enough or got the drivers and the consistency to win a title with.

Oh, yeah, no way are they competing for titles.

Their engineering isn't up to it. And the ferret and Malukas aren't contenders either. Not yet anyway.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Certainly the most competitive the team has been for years and years.

Im not denying they are better than they were as a team, im just not sure they have done enough or got the drivers and the consistency to win a title with.

Oh, yeah, no way are they competing for titles.

Their engineering isn't up to it. And the ferret and Malukas aren't contenders either. Not yet anyway.

The Ferret seems to go ok at the 500, but a) I am still trying to shake off my historic dislike of him, although I grudgingly accept he is better than he was and has potential. Plus b) he has money.