DECEMBER 6, 2001

Cosworth to expand CART supply?

THERE is much speculation at the moment about the future supply of engines in CART but we hear from the United States that Cosworth Racing is bidding for a deal to supply one engine to the entire field. This would be a turbocharged unit rather than the 3.5-liter normally-aspirated engines which CART has said it will use in 2003. But disputes over the regulations and the withdrawal of Honda and Toyota at the end of the coming season are worrying the CART teams which want a rapid answer so that everyone will be ready for the 2003 season. If CART delays for too long it is likely that more sponsors will decide to switch their support for the teams in the Indy Racing League. In most cases this will mean that CART teams will be given the chance to run IRL cars. Such a deal would be great news for Cosworth Racing which is looking for ways to become self-funding to avoid cutbacks from the Ford Motor Company. Supplying the entire field would mean perhaps a small increase in the number of staff at Cosworth but a major hike in the income generated without too any competition to force up development budgets. The drawback for Cosworth is that there is a danger that all the new fund-raising projects will result in a loss of focus on the Jaguar F1 program but Cosworth personnel say that a CART deal would have little or not effect on the business.