Note: This series gathers the Inside Line panel to discuss the major storyline surrounding each NTT INDYCAR SERIES team entering the 2026 season. An installment on each team will appear at INDYCAR.com on Fridays.

Curt Cavin: Let’s look through a wide lens here. This will be the second season of the team’s strengthened ownership group, the result of Indianapolis food magnate Ted Gelov joining the organization in September 2024. I think it’s fair to say this is an organization on the rise, and the progress will continue to be more evident in the weeks, months and races that follow. Already, the effort and Christian Rasmussen’s adaptation has produced a race win (in August at Milwaukee, photo, top), and it would be a surprise if he didn’t continue to contend for wins in 2026, particularly on the ovals. Same for Alexander Rossi, who is still capable of reaching victory lane. It won't be long before Ed Carpenter's group moves into its new digs within the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, another sign of the progress being made.

Eric Smith: Can Christian Rasmussen continue his rise? The 25-year-old Dane closed last season with top-10 finishes in five of six oval races for Ed Carpenter Racing, ranking third in the series’ oval points. But to make the leap from promising prospect to true breakout driver, he’ll need stronger results on road and street courses. Rasmussen finished just 21st in points on those tracks last year, contributing to his 13th-place overall result. Still, with growing confidence and a full season of experience after a part-time 2024 campaign, the 2023 INDY NXT by Firestone champion appears poised to take another step forward. For the first time in his career, he’s returning to the same team and the same series for a third consecutive year, stability that could help unlock his next level.

Paul Kelly: This is a big year for Alexander Rossi. The 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner was a title contender and tipped to become a future series champion during the peak of his tenure at Andretti Global, as he finished second and third in the championship in 2018 and 2019, respectively. From 2020 through 2024, he finished either ninth or 10th in the standings with Andretti and Arrow McLaren. This year, he ended up 15th in his first season with ECR. That number is deceptive, as Rossi played a big role in helping guide ECR into a more consistent team and was an important mentor to Christian Rasmussen in his breakout second season. Rossi will continue that leadership role, but he and ECR will need to find a higher gear in 2026 if Rossi is to return among the title contenders in the series and earn his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES win since 2022, his last year with Andretti.