Paretta Autosport have formed a technical partnership with Ed Carpenter Racing that the team run at least three road and street course races with Simona De Silvestro once again behind the wheel.
The team will start at Road America in June, going to Mid-Ohio in July, before finishing up with Nashville in August. After making their debut in the 2021 Indianapolis 500, the women-led and staffed team announced that they will not return to the event in 2022 to focus on building into a part-time road and street course program from 2023 onwards and eventually a full time program.
After partnering with Team Penske for their Indy 500 entry, team owner Beth Paretta is grateful for the knowledge gained from “The Captain” and is eager to translate it into her work with ECR going forward.
“We had a great first year working with Roger Penske and Team Penske in 2021 as part of the Race for Equality and Change initiative and since then I have been working on building the right structure and opportunity to continue to grow our team,” Paretta said.
“The training and support we received last year was invaluable and to be able to carry that forward and work with Ed Carpenter Racing is exciting for us.”
Once again Paretta will be teaming up with Chevrolet at ECR, who have been major supporters of the team since their creation. So much so that General Motors president Mark Reuss flew in from Detroit to show his support for the entry.
“I am so proud to continue our association with Chevrolet who has valued, supported, and championed our efforts for diversity and inclusion from the very beginning,” Paretta continued.
“That alignment has helped us amplify our message in a meaningful way and we can’t wait to get back to racing with them.”
Carpenter, who currently runs two full-time cars and runs ovals part-time himself, stated how he is looking forward to working with Paretta and the team towards their goals.
“ECR is very excited to be a part of the growth of Paretta Autosport,” he said.
“We watched closely what they accomplished at last year’s Indy 500 and look forward to helping their progression toward the goal of being a full season entrant. I have a lot of respect for Beth and Simona and look forward to success with them later this season.”
For De Silvestro, road and street courses have been where she’s produced her best results. The Swiss driver has 14 top-10 finishes on those track types, including a career-best second at the 2013 Grand Prix of Houston.
KiwiCo, a manufacturer of STEM-based educational toys, has also joined Paretta Autosport as an associate sponsor. KiwiCo CMO Katie Soo told RACER.com that the company and the team have shared goals in advancing STEM careers.
“Both Paretta Autosport and KiwiCo have an aligned mission to provide the next generation of innovators with the skill and confidence to become creative problem solvers and critical thinkers, particularly with respect to girls and young women in STEM careers,” she said.
“IndyCar racing is a great entry point for us to introduce kids to the science behind it — everything from learning how wheels grip the track, the physics of aerodynamics and so much more.”
KiwiCo doesn’t just have ties to the technology. As Soo states, her husband is a fan of the racing as well.
“My husband is a big fan of open-wheel racing and has attended the Indy 500 every year since 1996,” she said.
“He still goes to the race every year as a part of his family’s tradition, so being able to support this team also carries a lot of personal meaning.”
