Champ Cars to adopt 3.5-litre engines

Beginning in 2003, the CART Championship Series will replace its 2.65-litre turbo formula with 3.5-litre normally aspirated engines, similar to those used in the IRL. It is hoped that the move will appease Champ Car's three engine manufacturers, Toyota, Ford and Honda, who have been in heated negotiations with CART all year over the shape of the new regulations.

Last week Toyota announced that it was pulling out of Champ Car racing and would only change its mind if CART pushed through the 3.5-litre rules. The Japanese manufacturer is entering the IRL in 2003 and said it was unwilling to build two different specifications of engines for the two series.

It had been thought that it was too late for CART to introduce new engine rules for 2003 because it had missed several deadlines this year to come up with the best solution. But in the wake of Toyota's threat and the dismissal of CART's technical boss Kirk Russell, the organisation has moved fast to act.

In a near unanimous decision, the 22-member CART board of directors, made up largely by team owners, approved the move to 3.5-litre motors. Significantly, they also made it clear that the engines will remain true to Champ Car racing's high-tech philosophy, unlike the IRL's lower specification motors. It is hoped that this will appease Honda and Ford, who have demanded that CART maintains higher levels of technology than those demanded by the IRL.

But by using the same size and type of engine as the rival series, it could also prove enough to keep Toyota on board - and may also open the door to the three manufacturers entering the IRL's world-famous centrepiece, the Indianapolis 500.

"CART's leadership position in open-wheel racing dictated for us to make an aggressive step toward the future in the best interest of our sport," said CART chairman Joe Heitzler. "We will have a normally aspirated formula similar to all major racing series in the world including Formula 1[which uses 3-litre normally aspirated engines], but will continue to have our own distinctive engine formula in the most competitive and challenging series in the world."

The move will bring a significant reduction in engine costs, along with rules stability through to 2005, according to CART. The engines will also lower speeds on ovals.

CART senior vice-president of racing operations John Lopes and team owner Derrick Walker have been appointed by the board to review all aspects of supply and specification of the new formula.

Lopes said: "This formula will provide commonality without compromising CART's high-tech traditions. Our ability in the future to develop these motors, along with the aerodynamic and electronic developments pioneered by CART teams, affords CART the ability to remain the most advanced form of open-wheel racing in the United States."