Prema has made significant progress since it announced plans in April to enter IndyCar next season with two Chevrolet-powered cars on a full-time basis prepared from a new Indiana headquarters.
Team principal Rene Rosin revealed to Autosport that the Italian-based juggernaut of Europe’s junior formulas is preparing a 100,000 square feet base in Fishers, Indiana, roughly 20 miles away from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It is hoped that the new premises will be fully operational by September, and has potential for expansion to incorporate Detroit-based sister team Iron Lynx that runs Lamborghini's SC63 LMDh in the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
Rosin said: “We are evaluating to bring that to Indianapolis next year, but it’s something that we will decide in the next month.
“It’s a building that allows us to do all this kind of operation, even if I grow up my current structures in the US on different programmes as well, I have space enough to permit to do that without thinking of changing and looking for new facilities.
“These facilities will cover me for quite a few years.”
Rosin has already appointed the team's IndyCar CEO in Piers Phillips, former president of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and general manager of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (now Arrow McLaren), but there are other plans with personnel that include bringing over some staff from its base in Europe.
“I already have a few people starting now, let’s say we already agree on 50% of the staff,” Rosin said. “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.
“There will be a mix of interaction between East and West, let’s say, and so for that I need more time, but we already have a plan that 50% is already secured.
“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.”
One of the few big-ticket items left yet to be set is the driver line-up, with Prema having a plethora of who’s who stretched around the globe.
Rosin has previously confirmed to Autosport that he has held conversations with current Williams Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant, who drove for Prema for the 2020 F3 season, but is still some time away from finalising anyone as his attention has primarily been on equipment and personnel.
“There is not only cars and engines, but there is pit equipment, pit stands and pitstop guns – everything,” he said.
“I’m sitting down now, concentrating on building up the remaining mechanics and engineers.
“There are people coming from Europe, people coming from different part of the world. We are really looking forward to September, October when the people we start working together in our facilities in Fishers.
“And drivers is now the next topic. 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.”
When asked if the plan is to have the driver lineup settled by September, Rosin shared he has “a shortlist” in mind and that the market is “looking pretty well” at the moment.
Rosin added that he is waiting to understand how Prema will be affected by IndyCar’s looming charter system coming in as a new team.
