McLaren boss sets criteria for future IndyCar move
How soon would McLaren consider entering the Verizon IndyCar Series on a full-time basis? The answer is linked to the health and success of its embattled Formula 1 program.
Tucked among the interesting tidbits from the Fernando Alonso/Indy 500 announcement was the proclamation made by McLaren shareholder Mansour Ojjeh, who revealed the British Formula 1 constructor would be open to campaigning an Indy car in the near future. With Californian Zak Brown in his new position atop the McLaren Technology Group, it's clear the IndyCar-loving American is also serious about reconnecting the brand to its open-wheel roots in North America.
"It's ultimately very early days in my time at McLaren," Brown said. "One of the things that got me excited about McLaren is its long rich history, obviously in Formula 1, but then its history winning Indianapolis three times, winning Le Mans, Can-Am, Formula 5000, the list goes on; and while [Formula 1] will remain our number one focus in our motorsport galaxy, we have some exciting places that I think, we think, the shareholders think we should revisit over time."
Brown outlined the vetting process that will be used to make a final decision on whether McLaren will assemble a team to take on the likes of Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing, Andretti Autosport and other front-running IndyCar programs.
"We have three criteria: One, we need to make sure we can be competitive; two, that it's commercially viable, and three, it fits out brand," he said. "I think the Indy 500 ticks all those boxes, and I think IndyCar ultimately ticks all those boxes. We're a fan of IndyCar; we think it's a great form of motorsport. We've done it before. And if we can tick all three of those boxes, in the future, IndyCar would definitely be something we would consider."
McLaren will need to get its F1 program in order before Brown signs up for a couple of engine leases from Honda Performance Development and orders a few DW12s from Dallara. Once its Japanese Honda F1 power units become more of a help than a hindrance, news of McLaren joining IndyCar for more than the Indy 500 could be possible.
"However, we've got big challenges on the Formula 1 front, so we need to be getting that right and winning races before we set out in lots of other adventures," he said. "[The] Indy 500 was something that I thought would potentially be on the cards in 2018. Due to our circumstances and small window of opportunity, [we] saw a window of opportunity for 2017 that quite frankly we didn't see six months ago."
Looking at other potential IndyCar interests for McLaren, Brown says McLaren Automotive, which produces a line of supercars that are also sold as race-ready sports car models, would not be a ready candidate to join Chevy and Honda as official IndyCar engine suppliers.
"I think that's a long way down the road," he added. "The automotive company is a sister company. Automotive has its own racing programs; it's in GT3 and GT4 now. I don't want to speak too much on their behalf, but don't think being an engine supplier is on strategy with [our] current thinking. And so, I think from a McLaren Automotive standpoint, they'd be less likely to be an engine supplier as much as [focusing on] racing their makes and models in sports car racing."
The presence of McLaren Racing as a regular IndyCar competitor would add another layer to the series' efforts to restore its glory days. For all those who would like to see McLaren on the grid at Long Beach, Road America, Watkins Glen, and other classic venues, its F1 team cannot find Victory Lane soon enough ...
eek!
