Full-time NTT IndyCar Series operation Carlin is providing engineering support to McLaren for its Indianapolis 500 effort.
Carlin is in its second year in the IndyCar Series, with Max Chilton running all of the races, rookie Pato O’Ward competing in 13 races on 12 event weekends and Charlie Kimball running a five-race schedule in 2019.
McLaren participated in the 101st Indianapolis 500 in 2017 with two-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso in a Honda effort with Andretti Autosport. Because of McLaren’s unceremonious exit from Honda after the 2017 F1 campaign, Honda officials in Japan did not want to be part of a McLaren IndyCar effort.
McLaren joined Chevrolet and will use Carlin for engineering support when Alonso returns for his second attempt at the Indianapolis 500.
“McLaren is starting from scratch on a different continent and they needed help getting everything together,” team owner Trevor Carlin told Autoweek. “We did it 12 months ago and we had the equipment lists and spares. We are fresh; what is needed for the championship. We have helped them massively from that side and given them a benchmark.
“Hopefully, they will take it on themselves to improve their team and that will benefit us in the long term.”
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