Alfa Romeo is planning to return

[Formula Indy]

This was sent in a tweet from SBPopoffvalve....

Formula 1 racing engine specialist Cosworth to develop Alfa Romeo
Published by Jordy Stuivenberg November 13, 2010 7:03 p.m. - Print Article

INDIANAPOLIS - Following Chevrolet Alfa Romeo is planning to return from 2012 as an engine supplier in the IndyCar Series. FIAT, the owner of Alfa Romeo would be possible if an agreement was concluded with a familiar partner for engine development.

According to Racing Italia FIAT specialist Cosworth engines, currently best known for the Formula 1 engines, attracting an Alfa Romeo engine development for 2012. Then the new IndyCar Regulations in force.

In the 80s of last century Alfa Romeo tried even to get a foothold in the United States. A great success which did not. In 1991 the plug was also pulled from the project.


http://translate.google.com/translat...D28776&act=url

[ttturner68]

Great news....Wish it was Dodge though.

[Racing Truth]

Teo Fabi to the White Courtesy Phone, please.

[TUBORG-fan]

Hmm...

[fleshwound_NPG]

Great news....Wish it was Dodge though.

Mee, too. With Penske using Chevy it kinda made for an awkward situtation.

Besides, FIAT wants to establish Alfa once again on these shores.


Hey, it's the best looking badge in the business....

[Formula Indy]

Where does that leave Lotus? Aero only?

[Turn13]

http://forix.autosport.com/8w/march90ca-activeduty5.html

[indyracefan]

So it's appearing more and more likely. Has IndyCar had so much positive news so early in an off-season in the past 15 years or so?!

[Z28]

I will be great if it happens. No doubt Cosworth could and probably has an engine in the works. The question would be how does this affect KV Racing, since they are so in concert with Lotus or at least what would be Kalkoven's move? Does Lotus just sponsor his team which uses someone else's chassis and engine again or is there a Lotus chassis coming, team Lotus car powered by Alfa? Would his team race an engine built but someone other than his company?

I'm all for getting everybody in and letting Kalkoven figure it out.

[The Stickman]

BUT. BUT. BUT. The experts here told us there was no way an engine other than Honda could be ready in time. And that no automakers would see a reason to participate. To much investment for not enough return. They told us there wouldn't be aerokits too. Now providing this is true we have Alfa, Chevy, and Honda, with rumors still of Mazda, Ford, and possibly Lotus as engine suppliers. We have at the minimum of Dallara, Lotus, and Chevy for Aerokits. Yup were doomed. The experts will be along soon to tell us so.

[AFColt]

Holy cow.

What an offseason!

[TUBORG-fan]

I will be great if it happens. No doubt Cosworth could and probably has an engine in the works. The question would be how does this affect KV Racing, since they are so in concert with Lotus or at least what would be Kalkoven's move? Does Lotus just sponsor his team which uses someone else's chassis and engine again or is there a Lotus chassis coming, team Lotus car powered by Alfa? Would his team race an engine built but someone other than his company?

I'm all for getting everybody in and letting Kalkoven figure it out.

Well they do so in F1. Lotus-Renault for 2011

[johnics]

Lotus, on the whole, have always let other people build their engines.

The current road cars use Toyota engines and the F1 team(s) (may) use Renault engines.

There is no reason why they would veto what engine gets used with their aero kit.

Lotus-Chevrolet, Lotus-Honda, Lotus-Alfa Romeo - Its all good

[Mindervillain]

Lotus, on the whole, have always let other people build their engines.

The current road cars use Toyota engines and the F1 team(s) (may) use Renault engines.

There is no reason why they would veto what engine gets used with their aero kit.

Lotus-Chevrolet, Lotus-Honda, Lotus-Alfa Romeo - Its all good

As I posted elsewhere, in a day and age where some version of spec racing is almost a requirement for a successful racing series, I think mixing and matching like that would be fantastic. Variety without excessive engineering expense. They would have an air of creativity about them that could make them fan favorites over teams that seem dominated by a single factory. Granted, a great deal of it is illusory, but racing's mostly marketing, and what's more illusory than that?

[Oben]

Kinda surprised that FIAT wouldn't just do the engine in house---they have Ferrari, after all. But, I guess there's something to be said for having a partner stateside, rather than in Italy, especially when you consider the short time frame. I get the impression that the new engines rules might be getting created concurrently with development to one degree or another. Probably best to be "in the room" when that happens.

Hmm... Lotus. Here's a tweet from Oriol Servia:

http://www.mobypicture.com/user/OriolServia/view/7999503