IndyCar team owner fed up with new hybrid systems: "Can't park it every time"

IndyCar welcomed the hybrid power unit last year at Mid-Ohio, but drivers were often found struggling with the new component as it increased the complexity of the power delivery. Moreover, this addition also saw the teams facing reliability woes, and Ed Carpenter shared his thoughts on the matter as he was frustrated by the new hybrid powerhouses.

The Thermal Club Grand Prix saw multiple drivers facing issues with their hybrid power units, especially with the overheating of the Motor Generator Unit and the hybrid components. Pato O'Ward and Christian Lundgaard were restricted with their usage of the hybrid power delivery through sections of the race, while Scott McLaughlin had to come into the pits for an unscheduled pit stop on lap 20.

The New Zealander was left stranded for six laps in the pitlane as his pit crew discharged the battery and restarted it in McLaughlin's car. Similarly, Ed Carpenter Racing's Christian Rasmussen had also faced overheating problems mid-race, and Ed Carpenter shared how badly teams are being affected by the hybridization of the engines, as he said, via IndyStar:

"If you have 1 problem in 17 races & you’re told to stop, you’d probably listen. If you could potentially have it weekly you can’t park it every time."

This year's pole laptime was a second slower at the Thermal Club in comparison to the fastest lap done in 2024, when the cars did not have to carry extra weight around the racetrack.

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Ed Carpenter has been vocal about his envy of IndyCar's hybrid engines earlier

Ed Carpenter at the IndyCar - Barber Motorsports Park - Source: Getty

Ed Carpenter was the first of the team owners to publicly criticize IndyCar's hybrid engines in the days following Mid-Ohio. The 44-year-old asserted how the new power units are not helping in improving the racing spectacle but causing the drivers to take up unnecessary stress during the race to manage their battery levels.

Sharing his frustration on how IndyCar racing is subjectively worse for him, Carpenter said, via MSN:

"I’m probably going to get in trouble for speaking as candidly as I have, but I love this sport and I love our fans. We can fix this. We’re spending a lot of money to make our racing worse. Show me the third OEM that’s coming in. Show me that Honda’s leaving. We have too much momentum to make decisions that are hurting our sport. That’s my feeling.

"I understand why we’re doing the hybrid, so we can say we’re a hybrid series, but it’s costing us a bunch of money making the product worse. I don’t see the point."

The next IndyCar race is scheduled to take place at Long Beach. The track will celebrate its 50th race, marking a significant milestone in the racetrack's history.