AI-rewritten: This is a summary of an article from Ars Technica, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story.

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The world of motorsport has shifted significantly as funding sources have moved away from tobacco and alcohol toward technology sectors like crypto, cyber security, and artificial intelligence. Consequently, tech CEOs are now frequently seen driving privateer race cars instead of dentists. This trend is evident in recent events like the Petit Le Mans, where founders of companies such as GitHub and Shopify have participated.

Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) has partnered with OpenAI to demonstrate how these sponsors provide tangible benefits beyond financial transfers. Although CGR may not be the most well-resourced team on the grid, it remains highly dominant, having won championships 13 times in two decades. Currently, driver Álex Palou is leading this success, securing his fifth title in six seasons. At several races, his car has displayed OpenAI branding.

Palou’s 2026 season was challenging, with him winning only three of the eighteen IndyCar races held that year. However, he still achieved twice as many wins as any other competitor and secured eight pole positions, a number far superior to anyone else. OpenAI researchers have collaborated with CGR and Palou to optimize car setups using artificial intelligence and machine learning tools. This partnership is featured in a new documentary series on YouTube, with the second episode recently released.

Other teams have also utilized AI/ML for engineering and data analysis. General Motors has used large language models to predict race cautions and tools to analyze crash footage quickly from its base in Charlotte, North Carolina. Additionally, IBM and Dallara published research showing that AI can accelerate aerodynamic development by training on computational fluid dynamics data. Neural Concept is another company helping Formula One teams with similar applications.