Cosworth partners with IndyCar, claims more progress toward engine supply

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Cosworth says that it is continuing to make progress with its efforts to return to IndyCar as an engine supplier, and that further meetings with potential manufacturer partners could take place as early as next month. The company has also formed a new partnership with the series to provide additional telemetry data to fans.

Cosworth confirmed in February that IndyCar formed part of its plans to return its core focus to motorsports, and while it has already held initial talks with the series, any program would require it to be partnered with an engine manufacturer. Cosworth marketing director Tom Buckler said that conversations with potential affiliates are progressing well.

"We're talking actively to two, potentially three, manufacturers at the moment, and we're in the process of setting up some meetings, hopefully around the [Indy] 500, to take that forward," he said. "Technically, we know we can do it. We've done it before, and there's not really a doubt in the mind of Bruce Wood, our technical director, that we could design a race-winning engine.

"The business case, we believe, makes sense. We've done analysis, and the exposure the brand would get – not just from winning the 500, but even running the championship – there's a very positive ROI [return on investment] in that."

Cosworth has made progress on other fronts as well, with Buckler confirming that it will be involved in at least one sports car project.

"There is one [project] that we're actively working on and another that's in the pipeline," Buckler said. "I can't really say any more at the moment. But we will be there [in sports cars]."

Meanwhile a new "Cosworth Live On Air" has been announced in association with IndyCar to expand upon its existing role as a long-standing technology supplier to the series. The program will allow for data that is already streamed back to the pits via high-bandwidth radio to be made available to fans, potentially with future social media integration.

"We believe that this new technology has the potential to truly change how fans can interact and engage with motorsport," said Cosworth Group Holdings CEO Hal Reisiger. "As social media and multi-screening becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, Cosworth Live on Air will provide the opportunity to immerse fans fully into the race weekend experience."