Amid rumors of $25M team sale option, PREMA Racing's IndyCar driver exploring 'multiple' WEC and IMSA options for 2026

One of PREMA Racing's IndyCar drivers is exploring options in Sports car racing for 2026, with ongoing talks with World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar teams. PREMA is reportedly facing financial challenges and is under threat of pulling out of IndyCar after just one season.

Reporter Marshall Pruett claimed in September that some teams in the paddock told him that PREMA was looking for a full sale of the team for around $20-$25 million. However, none of the teams had received a direct outreach from the Italian team.

Co-team owner Deborah Mayer reportedly committed over $40 million to fund PREMA Racing's expansion to the premier American open-wheel racing series this year. In under one year, they set everything up from a shop in central Indiana to two competitive Dallara DW12 Chevrolets. The team brought its experienced racing staff from Europe to pioneer its IndyCar efforts in America.

The highlight of their year was Robert Shwartzman taking a shock pole position for the 109th Indy 500. Unfortunately, he crashed in the pits, injuring a crew member and ending their race. Teammate Callum Ilott, the more experienced driver on the team with 2.5 years of IndyCar experience before joining PREMA Racing, was more consistent.

Though the first half of the Briton's season had no standout moments, Ilott ended the season on a high with four Top 10 finishes in five races. As per John Dagys of SportsCar365, the Briton is exploring non-IndyCar options for 2026 in IMSA and WEC.

"Ilott, who may not return to IndyCar next year amid the financial uncertainties hanging over Prema, whose IndyCar program is funded by Deborah Mayer of Iron Lynx and Iron Dames fame, is understood to be exploring multiple sports car options for next year, both in IMSA and a potential return to the FIA World Endurance Championship," wrote Dagys.

In 2024, when Callum Ilott found no IndyCar seat, he raced for JOTA Sport in the Hypercar class in WEC. He opened the season with a podium finish in Qatar and secured his sole win at the 6 Hours of Spa.

Earlier this year, Ilott joined Pratt Miller Motorsports for a one-off outing at the 24 Hours of Daytona in IMSA, finishing 39th overall and ninth in the LMP2 class.

Do PREMA Racing drivers have a chance to drive for its IndyCar rivals in 2026?

PREMA Racing drivers at the 2025 IndyCar BITNILE.com Grand Prix of Portland - Source: Getty

There are still two seats to fill on the IndyCar grid for 2026 - one each at AJ Foyt Racing and Dale Coyne Racing. If PREMA Racing were to withdraw from the premier American open-wheel racing series next year, the chances of Robert Shwartzman or Callum Ilott filling one of those seats are very slim.

AJ Foyt Racing is eyeing 2025 Indy NXT runner-up Caio Collet to fill the No. 4 Chevrolet vacated by David Malukas, who moves to Team Penske. The Larry Foyt-led team has already fielded Collet in two tests - one at Mid-Ohio and the other at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

Meanwhile, Dale Coyne Racing has yet to show any public interest in a driver. However, it is rumored that the second seat alongside the 2025 Indy NXT champion Dennis Hauger will go to Romain Grosjean, with IndyCar veteran Conor Daly hinting at that possibility recently.

At no stage in the silly season has either of PREMA Racing's drivers been linked to any vacant seat. While it is clear that Callum Ilott is eyeing a return to endurance racing, Robert Shwartzman's future remains unclear.

Edited by Yash Kotak