The possibility of Formula 1 making a return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an option which the venue’s new owner Roger Penske is seriously considering.
Indianapolis played host to F1 from 2000 to 2007 on an infield circuit made specifically for the championship, using Turn 1 of the oval section in reverse.
Penske purchased the NTT IndyCar Series, IMS and IMS productions in January and is keen to make the speedway the potential home of motorsport in the US.
The Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, has been the venue of Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix since 2012, and championship chiefs have been keen on adding a second event in the country.
“My son Greg has met with Chase Carey and had some preliminary discussions over the past couple weeks,” Penske told RACER.
“Is it time to re-look at an F1 race? I don’t know yet if the economics make sense but we wouldn’t look at doing it before 2022.”
Penske is also looking to potentially bring sportscars to the Speedway with an endurance event in the WeatherTech IMSA Championship.
The series already plays host to three major endurance events in the form of the 24 hours of Daytona, 12 hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
“I’ve had some discussions with (IMSA president) John Doonan and I think there is good potential to run an endurance race at the Speedway,” he added.
“We definitely want to create more great racing and utilisation of the Speedway.
“We want things that will last a long time and keep our loyal fans coming to the Speedway and bringing their friends and family.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to make a difference.”
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