IndyCar: McLaren’s IndyCar team poaches star Penske-Newgarden engineer

Arrow McLaren SP has poached Josef Newgarden’s Penske race engineer Gavin Ward, for 2022.

Ward started his racing career in F1 has worked in several key areas for the Red Bull F1 team.

He started as a brake engineer, then an electronics engineer helping to develop F1’s first full-time use seamless-shift gearbox.

He was a  race engineer for Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo before moving into the aerodynamics design department reporting directly to Adrian Newey.

Ward joined Team Penske in 2018 became Josef Newgarden’s Race Engineer for 2019, helping Newgarden win the championship that year.

The Arrow McLaren team tweet announced Ward but hasn’t said exactly what role Ward will take up.

Arrow McLaren SP is delighted to welcome Gavin Ward to the team. Gavin will play a key role in our long-term ambitions in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

— Arrow McLaren SP (@ArrowMcLarenSP) January 4, 2022