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McLaren SP has hired Brian Barnhart amid the departure of its President, Taylor Kiel.
Barnhart was Alexander Rossi’s strategist for the just-completed IndyCar season, and hence is making the same move from Andretti Autosport to McLaren SP.
However, his previous roles include two stints as IndyCar/Indy Racing League Race Director, during the first of which he was given the famous ‘double bird’ by Will Power, as well as spells as President of the series, and President of Operations and Strategy, and Vice-President of Competition.
More recently, he ran Harding Racing before it morphed into Harding Steinbrenner Racing and was eventually absorbed into Andretti Autosport, leading to a period as strategist for Colton Herta before being shifted to James Hinchcliffe’s car and finally Rossi’s #27 entry.
Kiel announced in recent days that he is leaving McLaren SP, ostensibly to spend more time with his family, although he has also been linked to a move to Chip Ganassi Racing once his non-compete period elapses.
Notably, Ganassi Managing Director Mike Hull happens to be his step-father.
While Barnhart would presumably continue to call strategy for Rossi, who broke a three-year drought with a victory on the Indianapolis road course in July, no management role at McLaren SP has yet been announced reports Associated Press.
Rossi was Andretti’s highest-placed driver at the end of the 2022 IndyCar season, edging team-mate Herta to ninth in the series standings on a countback given each had a win and a second placing but only the man in #27 had another podium on top of that.
McLaren SP, too, scored two wins over the course of the 17-race campaign, both going to Mexican Pato O’Ward, at Barber Motorsports Park and in the second encounter of the Iowa double-header.
He was a mathematical contender for the title until the end of the penultimate event of the season and ultimately claimed seventh in the series, behind the three Team Penske drivers and three from Ganassi.
