Ed Carpenter Racing and Conor Daly have “mutually agreed” to terminate their contract, effective immediately.

Car #20 will continue as a full-time entry for the rest of the 2023 IndyCar Series, with an as yet unconfirmed driver or drivers.

However, 2022 Indy NXT (nee: Indy Lights) champion Linus Lundqvist is testing with ECR this week at Sebring and would be a logical replacement.

On the parting of ways from Daly, Ed Carpenter, team owner and one of its drivers in oval events, cited poor performance.

“This is the most difficult decision I have made as a team owner because I respect Conor and know what he means to IndyCar and its fans,” he said.

“Our team has not been performing at the level we are capable of this year, and despite making technical changes and investments in the offseason, 2023 has been extremely challenging.

“I have put a great deal of consideration into the current state of our team and realise it is my obligation to our employees, partners, and supporters to do whatever is necessary to elevate our team’s competitiveness.

“We sincerely wish Conor continued success and will cheer him on wherever he goes next.”

Daly himself was quoted in the same announcement, as follows: “Although we’ve mutually decided that it’s in our best interests to take different paths, I’d like to thank ECR for the past three and a half seasons.

“I’m grateful to everyone who has supported me – past, present and into the future.

“I look forward to taking on the next opportunities that await, and I want to thank the fans for being with me on this ride.”

Daly, who was in the final year of his contract with ECR, is currently 20th in the IndyCar Series standings with a single top 10 finish to his name in 2023.

Team-mate Rinus VeeKay is 15th and also has just the one top 10 in the year to date, but is a race winner with ECR in three-and-a-half years in IndyCar, whereas journeyman Daly has a best result of second, at Detroit back in 2016.

Indications are that Bitnile.com, which was brought to the team by its now former driver, will stay on as title sponsor of all three cars.

The 2023 IndyCar season continues on June 16-18 (local time) at Road America.

Every IndyCar race is streamed live and ad-free on Stan Sport.

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