From 1989 to 1991 Alfa Romeo engines raced in the IndyCar series; however with little success. The 700 bhp 2648cc turbocharged V8 engine was born out of the stillborn Ferrari 637 IndyCar project. The current IndyCar Series stock engine is a Honda V8 unit that first debuted in 2003. Leading Italian racing car manufacturer Dallara currently supplies the chassis to the series.

Alfa Romeo is one of five major car manufacturers locked in discussions with the organisers of the IndyCar Series in regard to supplying an all-new race engine to the première American single-seater series when its current contract with Honda expires at the end of next year. Aside from Alfa Romeo, the IndyCar Series is talking to the current supplier, Honda, with Porsche, who have been involved in the series before, and Audi also reported to be interested in the opportunity.

For Alfa Romeo any supply of racing engines to the IndyCar Series would provide welcome publicity to accompany the North American re-launch of the road car brand that gets underway in earnest next year, and includes ambitious plans to manufacture at least one model in the region from 2011 or 2012 onwards. At the 78th Paris Motor Show last month Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that the global economic downturn wouldn't affect the on-going plans to bring Alfa Romeo back stateside.

Any IndyCar involvement by Alfa Romeo wouldn't be its first involvement in the single-seater series, as from 1989 to 1991 the Milanese carmaker's engines raced in the championship, although it was with little success. The 700 bhp 2648cc turbocharged V8 engine was born out of the stillborn Ferrari 637 project. Reworked by Alfa Romeo's engineers it was fitted into a chassis adapted by March and prepared by Alex Morales Motorsports in 1989; the car was driven by Roberto Guerrero. An 8th place a Detroit was the highlight of the first season before Patrick Racing took over the project in time for the start of the 1990 season. With Guerrero again driving, the best finish of the second year was a 5th place. Former Indy 500 winner and ex-F1 star Danny Sullivan took over in the cockpit for 1991, with the March-Alfa Romeo again run by Patrick Racing, and it was to be the best season yet for the programme as the American claimed a 4th place on his way to 11th overall in the drivers' championship points standings. At the end of the year though the project was dropped.

The current IndyCar Series stock engine is a Honda V8 that debuted back in 2003. A 124,000-square-foot facility in Santa Clarita, California, provides Honda Performance Development associates complete design, manufacturing and R&D capabilities. Honda also has a mutually beneficial technical relationship with Ilmor Engineering. They work together for on-going research and development, engine maintenance and trackside support for the Honda Indy V8 racing engine at all IndyCar Series venues. For the 2008 season, a 3.5-litre engine (213.6 cubic inches of displacement) is being used to provide longer engine life between rebuilds and additional mid-range torque for the varied IndyCar Series schedule – from street/road courses to short ovals to superspeedways. Italian race car manufacturer Dallara currently supplies the chassis to the series.