Smaller IndyCar teams under pressure, Coyne warns

Dale Coyne warns that affordability needs to factor into every decision that IndyCar makes if smaller teams are going to continue to remain viable in the future.

Twelve full-time teams have either closed, merged, or scaled their programs back in the 10 years since unification in 2008, while potential new owners that have attempted to join the series to replace them have frequently run into insurmountable financial or logistical barriers.

• GALLERY: IndyCar's lost teams

Three teams – Penske, Ganassi and Andretti – now run more than half the field, and Coyne says that IndyCar needs to find a way to bring costs down to make it possible for new teams to join the paddock.

"We lost a team this year in KV; that's sad to see that team go," Coyne (pictured) told RACER. "But we're still surviving despite ourselves. I think that IndyCar's management needs to be careful, and every decision they make needs to be based on, is it good for the show, and does it save the teams money. The value equation is not there yet; we can't get sponsors at the value of the cost to run the car. Until those things align, it's always going to be a little shaky. But if they keep those objectives in mind, I think we'll be OK.

"The biggest obstacle for new teams right now is cost. Carlin's a good example – Trevor Carlin is a guy who has made his whole career out of selling rides, and he wants to make the jump here. But this is a big jump. This is four or five times the size of any series he's in now, cost-wise. Drivers don't have that kind of budget, so teams have to have some money of their own, or find money, or find sponsorship, to make it work. Formula 1 has the same problem.

"But we need some new teams. You've got three teams here that run over half the field, so that's a scary situation."

Despite his concerns, Coyne believes that IndyCar is aware of the problems, and says that he's been particularly encouraged since former NASCAR team owner Jay Frye was appointed to IndyCar's head competition and operations role in 2015.

"I think it's good that you have Jay Frye there, a former team owner, because he understands the challenges of being a team owner," he said. "That's very healthy. I have a lot of time for Jay – he understands what we're all up against."

In the meantime, Coyne is looking forward to what he hopes will be a resurgent season for DCR. Its driver line-up was secured during the winter, with Sebastien Bourdais returning to the team to partner Indy Lights champion Ed Jones (below), while the back room has been reinforced with the arrival of veteran race engineers Craig Hampson and Olivier Boisson, both of whom have a close relationship with Bourdais after having worked with the Frenchman in the past.

"It's nice to have two good guys like this done early, and the engineering improvements that we've made ... we've spent a lot of money, but hopefully we get a return from it all," Coyne said.

"I think it's going to be a good year. It's a good environment for Ed to come into, having Seb above him, and the improvements we've made in the engineering department and to the cars, so I think it's going to work out good for everybody."