Prema team principal Rene Rosin has offered an update on the team's progress as they prepare to join the NTT IndyCar Series in 2025.
The Italian outfit announced in April that they would be entering the American series with two cars from next year, and aims to establish itself 'among the major players of the sport'.
Wheels in motion ahead of Prema's American arrival
The Italian team will operate out of a 'state-of-the-art facility' in Fishers, Indiana, just 20 miles from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and will be powered by Chevrolet.
For Rosin, the launch of the Prema in IndyCar is a dream come true, and he gave Motorsport.com the latest on their progress.
“We are in the full process of building up and organizing ourselves in the best way possible,” he said. “We have facilities in Fishers, which is 100,000 square feet. At the moment, we are building up all the offices inside and everything, and I think it will be fully operational by September onwards.
Rosin has ensured to equip his team his relevant experience. Former president of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and general manager of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (now Arrow McLaren) Piers Phillips in onboard as Prema's IndyCar CEO.
“I already have a few people starting now, let’s say we already agree on 50% of the staff,” Rosin said of his staff. “Of course, more people will be available when the season finishes. People from Europe, when the Formula 2 and Formula 3 seasons finish, because we want to bring some people from Prema within the Prema US entity.
“We already order everything in terms of equipment in terms of cars, material, trailers. And everything is starting to fall in place, let’s say, after the European summer break – in September, October – is when everything nearly will be delivered in view of being prepared for next year and going racing.”
Regarding Prema's first driver line-up, Rosin has a shortlist in mind but was not inclined to reveal any names of commit to an announcement time yet.
“We have a certain idea. We’ve been approached by a lot of drivers, known by us and some have experience in America, some have no experience in America, so European-based and US- based, and I have to say now is the moment that the next month, month and a half, is now where of course I need to concentrate on that.
I’m really looking very positive on the driver’s side,” he asserted.