IndyCar News: Alexander Rossi Takes Veekay’s Spot at Ed Carpenter

Alexander Rossi has picked up Rinus Veekay’s seat after his shocking split with Ed Carpenter Racing. Once an empty spot opened up, Alexander Rossi didn’t hesitate to grab it when he could. The move to the team will be the third in four years for Rossi, who began his career in 2016 as a rookie with Andretti Global and Bryan Herta Autosport. The Arrow McLaren driver will join Christian Rasmussen since Carpenter has decided to scale back and will only participate in the Indianapolis 500 and not a part of the regular season’s two-car lineup.

Ed Carpenter Pleased With Partnership

Ed Carpenter, owner of ECR, is excited by the news that Alexander Rossi is now a part of the team but sent his regards to Rinus Veekay, a free agent after five seasons.  Carpenter expressed that it wasn’t easy to let go of Veekay after his stint with the team and the friendship they formed, but he does not doubt that he’ll be successful no matter who he decides to race for. Though Rasmussen was able to stay within the top 22 and receive the 1 million dollar reward offered by membership of the Leader’s Circle Program, the team still needs redirection.

There’s also an imperative need to start winning races and championships and gaining more notoriety in the IndyCar community. Hence, Ed Carpenter is excited about Rossi’s joining. While the team may not have accomplished fielding cars that win titles, it has more than made up for it by coming out on top each year during the Indianapolis 500, so Rossi could become the driver that brings home a future Indy 500 win for Ed Carpenter Racing.

“It is an exciting day to not only welcome Alex to the team, but to extend our relationship with Christian,” Carpenter said. “We are very excited about our lineup, and other partnership announcements that will be forthcoming.”

Alexander Rossi Reflects on New Partnership

Rossi will be a great asset to ECR as he’s had a pretty stellar career as he joined Juan Pablo Montoya, Hélio Castroneves, and Josel Garza as one of 4 rookies to win the Indianapolis 500. He’s also had 30 podium wins and eight total career wins, so there’s no doubt he’ll show what he’s made of when he begins driving the No. 20 Chevrolet at the start of the season on March 2, 2025, at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Ed Carpenter feels honored to have Alexander Rossi’s talent join his team, and the feelings seem mutual. Rossi is ready for the value he can bring to Ed Carpenter Racing and looks forward to the partnership because he feels it is a testament to their standard of excellence.  The power of the Chevrolet was also an incentive for him, and he couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel in the upcoming season.

“I’m honored that Ed and the entire ECR ownership group recognize the value I can bring to the team,” Rossi said. “Their commitment to excellence, along with the power of Chevrolet and the ambitious plans they have for the future, made this opportunity impossible to pass up. I’m eager to get started and contribute to the team’s continued success.”

Final Thoughts

After the shocking news of Rinus Veekay’s split from Ed Carpenter Racing after five years, the team had an open entry, and Alexander Rossi took advantage of the opportunity. The driver’s early success and stamina as a rookie ultimately earned him a win in the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016 during his time with Andretti Global, making him the first driver since 1928 to make it happen.  Undoubtedly, he will bring wins to Ed Carpenter Racing after a less-than-favorable past few seasons and Ed Carpenter himself scaling back from races.

 

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