2016 Alternate IndyCar Series

2016 Alternate IndyCar Series
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The 2016 IndyCar Series season was the 21st season of the IndyCar Series, and the 105th recognized season of top-level American open wheel racing.

F1RICS rivalry and cancellation

Enduring another year as rivals to the new F1RICS category, IndyCar suffered record losses as attendances were down significantly at the series' events, losing a large portion of its fanbase to F1RICS. Whilst the championship was able to continue to the end of 2016, the pull-out of investors during the formation of its rival series had hindered IndyCar financially.

A new investment firm, the Velocity Group, announced its plans to purchase the IndyCar franchise and to rename it "Velocity Elite" for 2017, but their plans to rebrand the series and introduce a highly-experimental closed-cockpit prototype were incredibly unpopular with teams and series partners. Withdrawing their bid for the series, the IndyCar board elected to put the series on a hiatus until the correct investment was found.

At around the same time that IndyCar decided to close its doors temporarily, F1RICS was dissolved as the series proved to be incredibly expensive for both teams and investors; allowing multiple chassis suppliers and engines the freedom to command high fees, teams were charged increasingly extortionate amounts, and coupled with low returns from ticket and sponsor revenue meant that the series was completely unsustainable. F1RICS closed its doors at the end of 2016, leaving America without a top-level open-wheel series until 2019.

Final Driver Standings

TBD