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IndyCar's Desperate Move: Charters for Honda & Chevy?
18 Jan
Summary
- IndyCar offers OEM charters to retain Honda and Chevrolet beyond 2026.
- Team Penske faced penalties twice for illegal systems in 2024 and 2025.
- Honda expresses concern over ongoing controversies impacting trust.
IndyCar is reportedly offering permanent charters to engine manufacturers Honda and Chevrolet as part of a strategic initiative to ensure their continued participation beyond 2026. This unprecedented move aims to provide OEMs with a tangible business asset, akin to team ownership, and the possibility of establishing their own factory teams.
The series has faced turbulence, notably due to the Roger Penske controversy. In 2024, Team Penske drivers were penalized for an illegal push-to-pass system, followed by a similar violation discovered in their cars before Indy 500 qualifying in 2025. These incidents, involving Chevrolet-powered cars, have cast a shadow and raised concerns for Honda, the sole alternative manufacturer.
Honda Racing Corporation president David Salters acknowledged that the recent controversies are "not helpful." With Honda's contract expiring at the end of 2026, the series is undertaking damage control to retain the manufacturer that has been a significant part of IndyCar since 1994, especially as Honda also explores opportunities in F1 and NASCAR.
