ECR will bring Driver-in-the-Loop simulation tools from Dynisma Ltd., a leading UK-based driving simulator technology company, into its team operation starting next season.

The team will be the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES team to use Dynisma’s race-proven DMG-1 Driver-in-the-Loop simulator. Scheduled for delivery in Indianapolis in the first quarter of 2027, the DMG-1 will provide ECR with dedicated high-fidelity simulation capability to support car development, race preparation and driver training across the wide range of circuit types that define INDYCAR competition.

ECR’s significant investment comes ahead of a major new chapter for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The all-new Dallara IR-28 will make its competitive debut at the start of the 2028 season, introducing a lighter chassis, revised aerodynamic concept and next-generation powertrain package designed to improve performance, drivability and wheel-to-wheel racing.

“We began exploring bringing a DiL in-house for over a year now,” said Ed Carpenter, ECR co-owner and CEO. “Simulation is something that we have committed to over the course of our team’s existence. After our visits with Dynisma, they became the obvious choice to move forward and bring this online prior to the introduction of the IR-28.

“Dynisma has a proven track record, and we are excited to be their first partner in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Our drivers were very impressed with the capabilities of this product and look forward to having expanded access to the tool. ECR is on an upward trajectory toward achieving its championship aspirations, and this is just one step in that process.”

Dynisma technician

The new DMG-1 will give ECR a dedicated environment in which engineers and drivers can undertake repeatable development and preparation away from the circuit. Applications will include vehicle setup and dynamics development, driver familiarization, tire and balance optimization, race scenario rehearsal, engineering correlation and development of future vehicle models.

INDYCAR’s combination of high-speed ovals, short ovals, temporary street circuits and permanent road courses places uniquely varied demands on car and driver. High-fidelity Driver-in-the-Loop simulation enables teams to evaluate setup changes and prepare drivers for these differing environments before arriving at the circuit, maximizing productive engineering time when physical testing opportunities are limited.

Dynisma’s DMG-1 combines ultra-low motion latency of less than 5 milliseconds with primary motion bandwidth exceeding 50 Hz, providing the responsiveness and motion fidelity required for detailed vehicle development and driver preparation.

ECR driver Alexander Rossi has been the Chevrolet representative behind the wheel for all tests of the IR-28 so far, and he sees the immediate value of the DMG-1 simulator in that development of the existing and new car.

“At this level of racing, the smallest details make a difference, and the closer you can get the simulator to replicating what you actually experience in the car, the more valuable that tool becomes,” Rossi said. “What makes the Dynisma system particularly exciting is the level of responsiveness and feedback it can provide, which is critical when you're trying to understand the balance of the car and how it reacts to different changes.

“With the IR-28 coming in 2028, that becomes even more important. Having been involved in the development process, I know how significant the differences will be, and having a tool like this in-house will give us an opportunity to better understand the new car and accelerate that learning process before we ever get to the racetrack.”