Chevrolet wants bigger IndyCar line-up for 2014
Chevrolet admits that it risks being under-represented on the 2014 IndyCar grid, and says that it will readily supply additional entries if asked
The manufacturer currently expects to supply 11 full-time entries this year, two fewer than in 2013 due to the expected absence of Dragon Racing.
Chevrolet's IndyCar programme manager Chris Berube told AUTOSPORT that he is targeting a return to last year's numbers.
"We are less than what we supplied last year, and that was the level we'd like to be at," Berube said. "So we can take on another couple of cars this year.
"Whether it comes from our existing teams adding cars or a new team ... it's a little more difficult to add a whole new team than it is to add cars, but as it stands we're at 11 cars, and last year it was 13 for most of the season."
While he hopes to add to Chevrolet's car count, Berube is pleased with the strength of his line-up.
Powerhouses Penske and Ganassi will both use Chevrolet engines, as will Indianapolis 500-winning team KV Racing Technology, recent race winner Ed Carpenter Racing, and Panther Racing.
"The depth of the talent is stout," he said. "I don't think we're any worse off this year [in that regard]. But we all have to grow, and we have to give them more power and more durability.
"We're pretty happy [with the new engine]. We're finetuning now, but that's very important - that could be the difference between a race-winning application, and one that just creates power. The drivers have to know how to wield it."
Rival Honda also currently has 11 cars confirmed for 2014, although that is expected to grow to 13 when second cars are signed off for Rahal Letterman Lanigan and Dale Coyne Racing.
2014 IndyCar line-up so far: Team Engine Driver(s) AJ Foyt Racing Honda Takuma Sato Andretti Autosport Honda M Andretti/C Munoz/J Hinchcliffe/R Hunter-Reay Bryan Herta Autosport Honda tba Chip Ganassi Racing Chevy S Dixon/T Kanaan/R Briscoe/C Kimball Dale Coyne Racing Honda Justin Wilson/tba Ed Carpenter Racing Chevy Ed Carpenter (ovals)/Mike Conway (road/street) KV Racing Technology Chevy Sebastien Bourdais/Sebastian Saavedra Panther Racing Chevy tba Rahal Letterman Racing Honda Graham Rahal/Tba Sarah Fisher Hartman Honda Josef Newgarden Schmidt Peterson Honda Mikhail Aleshin/Simon Pagenaud Team Penske Chevy JP Montoya/H Castroneves/W Power
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