We already know that the IndyCar championship has been delayed due to the cursed SARS-CoV-2 virus . The virus has completely paralyzed the world of sports, including motorsport. Fernando Alonso will have to wait to make his next attempt at the Triple Crown, but more details are emerging about the lineup of the team with the most Spanish talent and other information.
We also know that after the team's failure in the last season, where they struggled in the American series, McLaren wanted to turn things around with a top-tier signing in IndyCar. This was one of the things that convinced Fernando Alonso to consider the project and agree to race with them again. At AM, we hope that this time they will be competitive and able to fight for the win.
The team has assembled
Fernando Alonso wasn't sure what to do. He considered several teams, and after failing to reach an agreement with Andretti, the Spanish champion decided to race in the 104th Indianapolis 500 with Arrow McLaren SP. This is the same team that last year didn't even allow him to compete in the race because they failed to qualify due to numerous setup problems.
And there was a compelling reason to convince Fernando, and that was the signing of Craig Hampson . He is the new research and development and race engineer for the third car (Fernando Alonso's). He will now work for Arrow McLaren SP, which is a significant advantage, given that he has won four Champ Car titles with Sebastian Bourdais at Newman/Haas Racing, helped Dale Coyne Racing achieve promotion in IndyCar, and is one of the most highly regarded engineers in the sport. He was also the R&D director at the prestigious Andretti Autosport team between 2013 and 2016, where he played a crucial role.
Wherever he's been, he's made his mark, positioning the cars among the fastest at Indianapolis Motor Speedway between 2017 and 2019. He also demonstrated his skills in the NASCAR Cup Series, and now he'll have a great opportunity to team up with Fernando Alonso . Fernando Alonso makes a difference as a driver, and Craig does so as an engineer, so I expect great success.
car details
Black on papaya sure looks?
#INDYCAR // @ArrowGlobal // @McLarenF1 pic.twitter.com/5ehCkufJ1g— Arrow McLaren SP (@ArrowMcLarenSP) April 7, 2020
The car that the Arrow McLaren SP team will have will be the same for its regular drivers Oliver Askew and Patricio O'Ward, with a third car put in at the Indianapolis 500 and maybe in some previous race for Alonso to use as a test to prepare.
What is known about the car of the team owned by Sam Schmidt (after leaving behind his time with McLaren alongside Trevor Carlin) is:
- Color: It will be black on top of the papaya color I already had. Now orange takes on less prominence. Although we do not know if Fernando Alonso's will be the same as his other two cars in terms of decoration or will have other colors and a different sponsor provided by the driver himself...
- Chassis/Aerodynamics: Standard Dallara, with the famous aeroscreen that was tested in F1 and discarded in favor of the halo. With a carbon fiber monocoque and much simpler aerodynamics than in Formula 1. It is based on the Dallara DW12, in a variant of the ICONIC project (Innovative, Competitive, Open-wheel, New, Industry-relevant, Cost-effective) which is the new one used now.
- Motor: Chevrolett V6 with bi-turbo. Built together with the prestigious Ilmor. This Twin engine has a displacement of 2,2 liters (2200 cc). The power it reaches is up to 675 HP, with about 12000 RPM. It weighs only 112.5kg, with 4 titanium valves per cylinder, aluminum block and other carbon fiber elements (plenum). It has a McLaren Electronics TAG-400I electronic control unit, Hitachi/Bosch injection, BorgWarner EFR7163 turbo, Sunoco fuel (15% competition gasoline and 85% ethanol), and Shell Helix Ultra / Pennzoil Ultra Platinum lubricants.