What should we expect from Prema in IndyCar 2025?

callum illott He believes there is “really no pressure” on his Prema team to deliver immediate results right from the start as a newcomer to IndyCar. But the Italian team’s pedigree as successive winners in every championship, having won the GP2 title at the first attempt in 2016 with Pierre Gasly, means there is plenty of excitement surrounding its arrival with two Chevrolet-powered entries. So what should be expected?

Prema’s first assault on North America’s premier open-wheel championship in 2025 marks a new chapter in the team’s respected history. It is known for producing Formula 1 talent, with all but three teams graduating this year, and converted its winning formula to sportscar racing by claiming the European Le Mans Series LMP2 crown at the first attempt in 2022. But is it realistic? Are you expecting the same for its arrival in the oval, road course and street course categories?

Speaking at IndyCar’s media day last week, Ilott was eager to temper expectations. Like rookie teammate Robert Schwartzman, who has extensive Prema experience having won the inaugural GP3 title in 2019 and finishing second in the 2020 Formula 2 standings, the Briton previously raced for Rene Rosin’s team in the 2017 European Formula 3 Championship. So he is aware of his bravery.

Importantly, Ilott also has IndyCar experience as a full-time Jankos Hollinger Racing in 2022–23 and made three cameo outings as a substitute driver for injured David Malukas With his main event at the World Endurance Championship last year at Arrows McLaren.

But admitting that “it’s certainly a lot more work to start from scratch than all the other teams since the end of last season”, Ilott estimates that “we have to be patient”.

“You never know at what point the click happens and the results start coming in,” he said.

“That’s kind of one of the founding points I want to take throughout the season is just don’t push anybody too far, work and work and work, but what we have is what we have.

“And also, obviously having kind of an experienced driver on the team, even though I’m still young and don’t have much season in IndyCar, but with two different teams, it’s something to take and expand within the team. “Everyone has to keep positive, and move forward. It’s not easy, but it’s important to keep it simple.”

Schwartzman commented that both parties are “completely confident that we can win here together”, but agreed that there was little hope of getting things off the ground.

“We have nothing to lose, we only have to gain so that’s the mentality,” said Schwartzman, who like Ilott was previously on the books of Ferrari’s junior program and was a race-winner in the WEC last season.

“We come here and there is no pressure on me. I just want to enjoy. I want to have fun. I’m sure we will and we will get to that level.

“We are going to win, and that’s what we are here for and that’s what Prema showed in Europe, I showed in Europe. So we have everything. We obviously need some time.

“In the beginning, who knows. We don’t know how much we will have to struggle. Is it going to be very hard, medium, light?

“I have no idea, we’ll see. But in any situation, I will always try my best to perform well. And again, I don’t feel any pressure because everything is new for me here.”

For its first assault on IndyCar, Prema has gathered several experienced American open-wheel figures in senior leadership positions, including CEO Pierce Phillips, merging with European mechanics.

Seven time IndyCar race winner Team PenskeRyan Briscoe rejoined the team for which he won the Formula 3 Euro Series title in 2003 as a sports consultant, while romain grosjean Has been announced as its reserve driver after losing his seat in JHR.

Ilott will be reunited with his former JHR engineer Steve Barker, working under technical director Guillaume Cappietto.

Ilott commented, “It’s a mix of people I’ve either worked with (or seen) and Steve is on top of it.” “It’s perfect. I love the atmosphere right now.”

But since those comments, Prema has suffered its first major blow with the departure of its newly appointed engineering head. The arrival of Michael Cannon from AJ Foyt Racing was a statement of intent that would shorten its steep learning curve, with Ilott describing him at media day as “IndyCar’s own Einstein”.

Without Canon in their roster, assessing Prema’s prospects becomes even more difficult. Even if he is with the engineer, joseph newgarden Admitted it was “hard to assess” how it would stack up.

“Some of this stuff you’ll say, okay, crossover and they should know this and they should know this and they should just implement. Sometimes it doesn’t work like that, every case is a little different,” Twice Comments the Indianapolis 500 winner, who benefited from working with Canon as part of the engineering alliance between his Penske squad and Foyt last year.

“So we’ll see how they perform in Indianapolis, that’s going to take its toll. But they’ll definitely have a great opportunity to perform right away and be competitive.”

“If it doesn’t happen, that’s just the nature of motorsports. I’m sure they’ll find their way at some point. They’re a pretty strong team. They’ll have strong drivers, strong engineers. They’ll get there at some point. , and I think they’ll be a great addition.”

As far as Ilott is concerned, there are still a lot of unknowns.

“We don’t know what a blast we’re going to make,” he commented before learning of Canon’s departure. “There is a lot of preparation that is Indy-specific, which many other teams have started.

“Who knows at this point? It could be good. I think a lot of people are expecting us to be very good.

“But remember, this is with the teams that have all the foundation, all the tools to pick and choose from. We’re starting from the beginning and building everything from the beginning.”