Andretti Autosport and Zapata Computing, which provides customers with a competitive advantage with quantum-ready software and infrastructure, are set to combine forces after the two companies announced a multi-year partnership Tuesday.
In addition to brand sponsorship, the multi-million dollar agreement will also see the deployment of Zapata’s platform, Orquestra®, to help with analytics and quantum techniques with the goal of improved success on race day.
“We’re excited to be working with a true leader in quantum computing through our partnership with Zapata,” said Michael Andretti, Andretti Autosport Chairman and CEO. “IndyCar racing is all about finding every possible edge and then maximizing it. Zapata’s expertise gives us that advantage through their Orquestra quantum software platform and expert scientists and engineers. The partnership is going to propel both organizations to great things this year and beyond.”
The deal makes Zapata the “Official Quantum Computing Provider of Andretti Autosport and the team’s advanced technology arm, Andretti Technologies.”
According to the press release, “Andretti engineers will work trackside from the Zapata Performance Innovation and Technology (P.I.T.) Center, a mobile engineering environment where accelerated analytic capabilities are powered by Orquestra, bringing real-time performance edges to Andretti’s team at NTT IndyCar Series events.” With the P.I.T. Center, the engineering team at Andretti will be provided “enhanced efficiencies over their current infrastructure and analytics solutions – beginning with advanced ML (Machine Learning) and optimization work, and increasingly using quantum techniques as the technology matures during the course of the partnership.”
Christopher Savoie, CEO of Zapata, said, “The Zapata team is thrilled to partner with Andretti and put our Orquestra quantum software platform to work in the pursuit of a competitive edge that no other racing team can match. The Zapata P.I.T. Center’s analytics environment is this ‘edge’ manifested in a real world, mobile and deployed setting. Our companies have the same DNA of always competing to win, and we can’t wait until the 2022 season kicks off to begin putting all this work into action.”
The NTT IndyCar Series begins its 2022 season on Sunday, Feb. 27 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Live coverage starts at noon (ET) on NBC, Telemundo and the IndyCar Radio Network.
