With renewed interest in the Verizon IndyCar Series from engine manufacturers, IndyCar officials are not only confident of landing a third engine partner but a fourth engine partner is a legitimate possibility.

Freezing the current aero-kit rules for the 2017 season and then introducing a universal aero kit beginning in 2018 has removed a key hurdle for new production partners to join IndyCar.

“One of the main reasons we wanted to move away from the aero-kit competition is to introduce a third and maybe a fourth auto brand,” IndyCar director, aerodynamic development Tino Belli told Autoweek. “Typically, companies that might come in have indicated they did not really want to develop and engine and an aero kit. Current engine manufacturers indicated the costs in developing an aero kit were higher than they expected.

“They (Honda and Chevrolet) both want a third and a fourth engine manufacturer to come in, as well. Our hopes are high that we will attract a third manufacturer, and it could be a fourth if things go well.”

IndyCar will discuss aspects of the universal aero kit on Thursday at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in Detroit. It’s likely a new engine manufacturer would not be able to join IndyCar until the 2019 season in order for the new company to have proper time to design, build and develop an engine.

Mark Miles, the CEO of Hulman & Co. who also serves as IndyCar CEO, visited with several interested international automakers in December. He has been working with IndyCar president of competition and operations Jay Frye on luring new manufacturers to the Verizon IndyCar Series.

“We let prospective OEMs know what we are doing and our thought process,” Frye told Autoweek. “The reason we did that was if we came up with a plan and took it to prospective OEMs, they may not like what we have come up with. They are aware of what we are doing, and there seems to be some enthusiasm.

“Part of what we had to do was eliminate some of the hurdles, and one of the hurdles was the aero kit piece. We have eliminated the aero kit with a universal aero kit. Is this a guarantee they will come? No, but is there much more of an opportunity for them to come? Yes.”

When a new engine manufacturer joins IndyCar, Frye expects the car count to get back to 28 cars per race, with more than 33 entered for the Indianapolis 500.

“You would hope a new OEM would come in and create new opportunity for ownership,” Frye said. “The new engine manufacturer may have an existing team or two, and a new owner comes in. This would be part in parcel with expanding the field by having a third, and even a fourth, engine manufacturer join the Verizon IndyCar Series.”

Marvin Riley, IndyCar director of engine development, believes the addition of just one new engine partner would have some tremendous benefits for the sport.

“Once we get a third manufacturer, I think you will see some positive things happen in the series,” Riley told Autoweek. “What we are trying to do with our rules package is make it as attractive as we can to new engine manufacturers. We are taking input we have had with them already to listening to the concerns of our current customers and their expertise designing these platforms and where they want to go.

“A third manufacturer could change the game, and it could happen soon. But the answer to that question is much better addressed with Jay Frye. We maintain a lot of conversations with a lot of different partners and a lot of the changes we have made in the last six to eight months to make it more attractive to the teams and series while maintaining the high technology while keeping the costs down is something that is going to help a third engine manufacturer come in. Taking out the aero-kit equation for 2018 will make it a lot easier for someone to come in. By focusing our strategy for the future on a high-qualify, good-looking car while focusing the manufacturer efforts on the engines, that is going to make it a lot more attractive for someone else to come in.

“That is a big part of our strategy for a third engine manufacturer.”

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