Despite sporting highlights, Prema’s IndyCar project is under pressure. DC Racing Solutions is in trouble – and the team is left without a charter.
Prema Racing faces an uncertain future after its remarkable IndyCar debut in 2025. Team boss Rene Rosin confirms on request that the Italian racing team is “exploring various solutions” to remain in the championship in 2026.
The background to this is ongoing financial problems at the parent company DC Racing Solutions, which also owns the Iron Lynx and Iron Dames sports car programs. Numerous rumors have surrounded Iron Lynx since Claudio Schiavoni suddenly disappeared after Le Mans.
Prema made its IndyCar debut this season with two Chevrolet-powered cars. With Callum Ilott and Robert Schwarzman, the team launched an ambitious program that made headlines primarily due to Schwarzman’s completely surprising pole position at the Indianapolis 500. The former Formula 2 and Ferrari Hypercar driver made a clear statement and was one of the most notable rookies throughout the season.
Despite these sporting successes, there has been increasing speculation about the future of the project. According to information from sources close to the company, DC Racing Solutions is said to be experiencing financial difficulties, which are affecting several of the group’s programs.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Prema is the only full-time team without a charter for the new structure that will come into effect in 2025. These charters guarantee 25 cars fixed starting places in all races outside the Indy 500. This is a disadvantage for Prema because it significantly limits its planning security.
“We are looking at various options and working hard on them,” says Rosin. “Starting from scratch was challenging, but we have made rapid progress, secured pole position at Indy and have recently been consistently in the top 10.” At the same time, he admits that the season has been anything but easy in terms of logistics and equipment.
When asked whether he expects to be back on the IndyCar starting grid in 2026, Rosin remains cautious: “We’re working on it, but I can’t say any more than that at the moment.”
In sporting terms, the season was solid for both drivers. Ilott, who returned to Prema after a thoroughly successful WEC year with Jota, collected four top-10 finishes in the last five races. With two sixth places at Laguna Seca and Portland, he finished the season in 21st place in the drivers’ standings.
Schwarzman fought long and hard for the rookie title against Louis Foster of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, achieving his best result with ninth place in Iowa and another top-10 finish at Gateway.
Rosin makes it clear that, from Prema’s point of view, driver planning for 2026 is complete – provided the team remains in the series: “Both drivers have multi-year contracts, there’s nothing more to say about that.”
How Prema ultimately decides and whether DC Racing Solutions finds a viable structure for the IndyCar program will become clear in the coming weeks.
One thing is certain: in its debut year, the team proved that it is competitive in sporting terms. However, whether the project will be sustainable in the long term now depends largely on factors outside the racetrack.
