Cosworth turbos confirmed for 2003

The move marks a reversal of the decision CART took last October to adopt the Indy Racing League's chassis and normally-aspirated engines. The IRL has since made attempts to prevent commonality between the two leagues, forcing CART to keep its existing chassis and reconsider the Cosworth turbo alternative, which has been on the table for nearly a year and was championed by influential team owner Gerald Forsythe.

"Our supporters made it abundantly clear that they preferred the turbocharged formula to the normally-aspirated option," said CART CEO Chris Pook. "We are pleased to be able to respond to their concerns with this agreement. This is the first of what we expect will be a number of positive moves that CART will take in the near future regarding our engine programme."

Pook added that CART is "very deep in conversation" with the Ford Motor Company to provide badging and marketing support for the programme.

Cosworth USA Vice-President Ian Bisco said the annual lease package for the new CART engine will cost just over $1million (£677,000) per year.

"We're probably the only engine company that has participated in the series since its formation in 1979," Bisco commented. "We think this move will help attract new competitors to the Champ Car series because the price is really attractive. This will also give CART the ability to focus on things other than the engine package."

Pook noted that CART will canvas manufacturers and teams in the first six months of 2003 in an effort to craft a new formula for 2005 and beyond.

"We need to recognize and respect that these major auto manufacturers need time to commit to a programme," he said. "It's not just a matter of designing and building an engine - there is a corporate approval process that we must respect."