All of IndyCar’s races are run in North America and just one event outside the United States, on the streets of Toronto in Canada.
This leaves a narrow window of exposure for the championship which has been more international in the past.
IndyCar has raced in The Netherlands at Assen and Surfers Paradise in Australia but lacks any international rounds in 2024.
NASCAR has beaten them to race in Mexico next season, but there are still plans for IndyCar to race in the nation in the future, particularly as Mexican driver Pato O’Ward has a significant fanbase there.
The CEO of Penske Entertainment Mark Miles is adamant that if a race in Mexico joined the calendar, it would award championship points, via quotes from RACER.
Mark Miles believes ‘Mexico would be part of the NTT IndyCar championship points race’
IndyCar reintroduced non-championship races this season with the $1 Million Challenge at The Thermal Club but they are sure a Mexican event will award points.
They have also been discussing an ‘international series’ in the off-season after the final round of the campaign.
This may be difficult as it would be overshadowed by the NFL season, which has a much bigger audience than the NTT IndyCar Series.
READ MORE: Pato O’Ward discusses what would make him ‘very upset’ about an IndyCar race in Mexico
Miles said: “First of all, if it were to happen, Mexico would be part of the NTT IndyCar championship points race – a drive to there from somewhere like Long Beach, or vice versa; part of the championship in the regular season.
“So I don’t even think of it as ‘international’ in that context. I do think ending at the end of August, we’ve got an opportunity to have a productive period of time for IndyCar teams and our promotion of an ‘IndyCar International Series.’
“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. You have to get a green flag to go see what you can do, but the concept we’re giving some time to is an international series, and it’s not about ‘go get one.’
An IndyCar event in Mexico would present an opportunity for the series to develop
If IndyCar were to step into Mexico, it would attract a huge fanbase in Latin America, a region with many successful drivers to follow over the years.
Mexico in particular, has O’Ward on the grid and the Arrow McLaren driver has been pushing for an IndyCar race in his home nation.
He is one of the most popular drivers on the grid and the 25-year-old may help to push IndyCar’s popularity to a new level and to a wider audience.