IndyCar continues to grow. Today, European junior open-wheel organization PREMA Racing announced that it will field two full-time Chevrolet-powered cars beginning next season. The powerhouse team did not name any drivers in the release, but RACER has reported that they would prefer to hire one of their own young talents, and an established IndyCar veteran.

Today’s news is welcome news for the series, but also raises future concerns. With 27 full-time cars this year, that number could reach 29 next season. That is a problem for places like Mid-Ohio and Toronto, which simply do not have enough pit stalls. The series continues to work on a potential charter system for the future. The full press release from today is below.

[PREMA Racing Press Release]

PREMA Racing will expand into the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2025, the team is proud to announce today. A trail-blazing operation, and one of the most successful in the history of single-seaters, PREMA will make the jump to North America’s premier open-wheel championship next year, fielding two full-time entries in partnership with Chevrolet and making a historic debut in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the iconic Indianapolis 500.

Founded in 1983 by Angelo Rosin, PREMA became an incredibly successful competitor by sheer determination, hard work and passion for motorsports. With its dedicated approach to young drivers, it produced talents like F1 World Champion and Indy 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve and INDYCAR SERIES racers like Ryan Briscoe, Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Armstrong and Callum Ilott.

Throughout its journey, PREMA experienced an uninterrupted rise, progressively increasing its footprint and winning 80 championship titles along the way. PREMA has also been home to nine of the 2024 Formula One drivers, including Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. Today, the team is the partner of choice for every Formula 1 driver development program.

Starting from Formula 3, PREMA encompassed the full ladder to F1, which included launching its karting program and being selected to compete in the all-woman F1 Academy series. The team will now undergo further expansion, signing up for one of the World’s most competitive and fastest-growing series, and bringing an Italian team back to INDYCAR with the goal of establishing itself among the major players of the sport.

“Today’s announcement marks a pivotal moment in the history of PREMA Racing,” said PREMA Team Principal Rene Rosin. “Making the step to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and competing in the world-famous Indianapolis 500, is a dream coming true for our family and everyone involved in our business. We have tremendous respect for INDYCAR, its unique challenges and sensational history, and we look forward to being part of it.

“While competing in INDYCAR will not be easy, we are determined to put in our best effort, learn as quickly as possible and become leading contenders right from the start. The desire to fight for victory is our driving force, and the thoroughness of the challenge will give us even more motivation to succeed.

“This new chapter will also be beneficial for PREMA Racing and its people, producing amazing learning opportunities and know-how transfer. We want to thank INDYCAR for the warm welcome, and Chevrolet for supporting this project. We cannot wait to start operating in our new Indiana shop and get on track as soon as possible.”

Jay Frye, President of IndyCar, welcomes the organization with open arms. “PREMA Racing, with their global reach and extraordinary presence in open-wheel racing, will be a great addition to our growing and highly competitive paddock. We look forward to seeing Rene and PREMA on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES grid in 2025.”

To maximize its efforts and commitment to the new endeavor, the PREMA Racing INDYCAR team will operate out of a state-of-the-art facility located in Indiana. Chevrolet will supply its brand-new 2.2-litre twin turbocharged V6 hybrid power units, adding an incredibly experienced and high-performing component to the mix in search of a quick rise to competitive form.

The addition of an INDYCAR program will benefit PREMA Racing in multiple areas. It will provide an additional layer of know-how, experience, and technical advance. It will also offer new opportunities for drivers and chances of professional growth for engineers, mechanics, and team members alike.

More announcements will be made in due course regarding drivers, sponsors and partners as the team will soon start preparations for the season ahead, setting up shop, cars and equipment.