Honda, one of two engine manufacturers that supply IndyCar, has confirmed it is in early discussions with Meyer Shank Racing to field a factory entry in 2028.
The revelation comes shortly after IndyCar announced its two engine partners Honda and Chevrolet will each have the opportunity to run a chartered entry of their own.
Honda Racing Corporation US President David Salters revealed in a media call that discussions are already underway to do just that with support of Meyer Shank Racing.
The two organizations have long worked together in both IndyCar and IMSA, and a joint IndyCar program with MSR is a natural pick for the Japanese manufacturer.
“We’re in discussions with Meyer Shank on how we would run a car with them,” Salters said in response to a question from Motorsport.com.
“We do it already [in IMSA], we know what to do. We run car #93 and we would think of a similar model for IndyCar, really. We’re there to build on what we’ve invested in.
“We’re there to further develop our people. It works very well with MSR.”
“Right now, that’s how we would envisage proceeding, and those are the types of discussions we’re having.”
The #93 Acura GTP prototype is also fielded by MSR and is largely run by HRC, providing a solid foundation for how an IndyCar collaboration would function.
MSR currently runs two IndyCar entries with a charter, leaving space for a third within the three-charter limit imposed upon each race team.
“We are extremely proud of our relationship with Honda,” said MSR co-owner Mike Shank. “We are ready to get to work on the 2028 program!”
Timing of the expected partnership between MSR and HRC coincides with new engine and chassis regulations, which are expected to be used for the 2028 racing season.