Alfa Romeo Could Enter IndyCar Next

Alfa Romeo has relaunched itself in the US market, and is returning to Formula One with Sauber next season. So what’s next for the storied Italian marque?

IndyCar, potentially. Motorsport.com reports on a conversation between Sergio Marchionne and an Italian journalist at the Detroit Auto Show this past week wherein the Fiat Chrysler chief mooted the possibility.

“Why not Alfa Romeo in IndyCar? We are thinking about it,” said Marchionne. “Gian Paolo Dallara – I consider him a great, the best Italian engineer around.”

Marchionne was referring to the legendary racecar constructor that supplies the chassis for the IndyCar Series, and which is headquartered at the same Varano circuit in northern Italy that Alfa Romeo calls home. Dallara helped Alfa engineer both the 4C and 8C – its most serious sports cars in decades. It’s also contributed to numerous Ferrari and Maserati road-car and racing programs.

“Over the last several months, particularly since our 2017 season ended, we have had numerous meetings with OEMs about the prospects of becoming partners with IndyCar,” IndyCar racing chief Jay Frye told Motorsport.com at the unveiling of the newly repackaged chassis in Detroit. “We’ve had around 10 of them – some initial meetings, some follow-ups.”

Frye would neither confirm nor deny that Alfa Romeo or FCA could be among them. However both Chevy and Honda (the two manufacturers currently supplying engines to the series) are reportedly keen to welcome a third automaker into the series.

Alfa Romeo last competed in IndyCar between 1989 and 1991, adapting Ferrari’s aborted program, but never scored a pole position, race win, or even a podium finish.