Ed Carpenter Racing has officially deepened its collaboration with AVL RACETECH as they prepare for the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, marking a significant step in their ongoing technical alliance. This partnership aims to enhance the team’s competitive edge by leveraging advanced vehicle simulation technology for improved race preparations.
How the New AVL RACETECH Partnership Enhances Ed Carpenter Racing
Since beginning their cooperation in 2021, Ed Carpenter Racing and AVL RACETECH have expanded their relationship, culminating in AVL RACETECH becoming the team’s official dynamic vehicle simulation partner. This development means ECR gains access to AVL’s cutting-edge simulation platform, AVL VSM RACE, which allows engineers to virtually test and refine car setups ahead of race weekends.
IndyCar’s diverse schedule, which includes street circuits, permanent road courses, and high-speed ovals, demands rapid adaptation and varied car configurations. With limited practice time on track, simulation tools are invaluable for preparing setups. Utilizing cloud computing, ECR’s engineering team can now run extensive virtual laps quickly, predicting how cars will perform and pinpointing optimal configurations before arriving at each venue.
Ed Carpenter, team founder and co-owner, emphasized the partnership’s importance:
“Partnering with AVL RACETECH strengthens every part of our program. Their expertise gives us tools to push deeper, innovate faster, and elevate the performance standard we expect at ECR.”
— Ed Carpenter, Co-owner of Ed Carpenter Racing
Matt Barnes, Ed Carpenter Racing’s Vice President of Competition, highlighted the impact on engineering capabilities:
“Partnering with AVL RACETECH gives us access to world-class simulation and development tools that elevate every aspect of our engineering program.”
— Matt Barnes, Vice President of Competition, Ed Carpenter Racing
Ellen Lohr, Director Motorsport at AVL List GmbH, noted the challenges of IndyCar competition and the mutual trust reflected in the partnership:
“IndyCar represents one of the most demanding environments in global open-wheel racing. The fact that we are now transforming our collaboration with ECR into an official partnership underscores the mutual trust between us.”
— Ellen Lohr, Director Motorsport, AVL List GmbH
Building on Progress and Preparing for 2026
Ed Carpenter Racing enters the 2026 season coming off a year marked by encouraging progress. Christian Rasmussen secured his first career victory, delivering ECR’s first win since 2021 and boosting the team’s confidence. This momentum provides a strong foundation as they approach the new season with improved technical resources.
The 2026 lineup will feature Alexander Rossi alongside Rasmussen, with Ed Carpenter expected to return behind the wheel for the prestigious Indianapolis 500, the premier event on the IndyCar calendar. The season opener, the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, is known for its challenging street circuit that often exposes which teams have effectively utilized their offseason preparation.
ECR anticipates that the enhanced simulation tools from AVL RACETECH will help tighten their approach and improve readiness for such demanding events. While success in IndyCar depends heavily on execution during race weekends, access to superior virtual testing and data analysis can dramatically improve the team’s efficiency and decision-making throughout the season.
This partnership signals a step forward for Ed Carpenter Racing’s pursuit of competitive growth and underlines their commitment to innovation and excellence within the series.
