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INDYCAR: Porsche, Audi, and Alfa-Romeo Show Interest in Series
SPEEDTV.com has learned that Porsche, Alfa, and Audi all have shown interest in joining Honda in the series starting in 2011.
Robin Miller  |  Posted October 12, 2008   Indianapolis, Ind.
Honda might have some competition in the near future, with Porsche, Alfa-Romeo, and Audi entertaining the idea of participating in the series starting in 2011. (Photo: Gavin Lawrence, Getty Images)

Porsche and Alfa-Romeo didn't have much success the last time they tried Indy cars but apparently both are seriously considering coming back to the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar series. SPEEDTV.com has learned that Porsche, Alfa and Audi were the three engine manufacturers at last month's meeting here and all have shown interest in joining Honda in the series starting in 2011.

There has been very little information available about which manufacturers attended the second engine forum at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway but reliable sources indicate these three motorsports mainstays like the idea of designing a turbocharged, inline, 4-cylinder engine.

Porsche competed at Indy and in the CART series in 1989 and 1990, even managing a victory with Teo Fabi in '89, but left in less than friendly terms. "Porsche left with an extremely bad taste in its mouth," said Derrick Walker, who ran the Porsche operation following the death of Al Holbert. "We won with a March at Mid-Ohio that first year and then Porsche decided to build the first carbon fiber car.

"It was legal but the owners voted to disallow it for a year while they supposedly gathered more information. It was a deliberate attempt to stop Porsche from gaining an advantage. That was the beginning of the end for Porsche. We had to change to aluminum and it was a much heavier car that didn't work. That left them with a sour taste towards CART and they got out after '90."

Asked if he was surprised Porsche would consider returning, Walker replied: "In a way it does but maybe they want to build engines and sell them." For the past two seasons, Porsche competed in the American Le Mans Series and Roger Penske campaigned its factory-backed effort but that deal is over, although Porsche will continue to supply customer cars.

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