Engineer Craig Hampson Moves to Arrow McLaren SP
The INDYCAR wheel of fortune continues to turn. With recent changes to the makeups of teams, from driver options to major support personnel changes, the 2020 edition of the NTT IndyCar Series will take an early-season flow chart to understand.
Arrow McLaren SP, which is the new name of the former Arrow Schmidt Peterson team headed by Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson, has made some wild adjustments in both driver lineup and in its management team. Since McLaren joined the duo’s management team, Arrow McLaren SP has changed both its driving team and its choice of engine, the latter adjustment from Honda to Chevrolet.
They just announced the addition of Craig Hampson, the veteran engineer who has more than 25 years’ experience in gaining victories and championships. Hampson joins the Arrow McLaren SP team as of January 1, 2020, taking on the chores of Race and Research and Development engineer, the team said.
To date, Hampson has accumulated well over 30 wins in either CART, Champ Car, Indy Racing League and NTT IndyCar Series competition, together with four Champ Car championships (Sebastien Bourdais) and two Indianapolis 500 victories, in 2014 with Ryan Hunter-Reay and 2016’s win with then-rookie Alexander Rossi, while working with Andretti Autosport.
A graduate of the University of Maryland with a BSME in mechanical engineering, Hampson has spent the bulk of his career on the outskirts of Chicago, first with the venerable Newman-Haas Racing team, where he guided Bourdais to his four Champ Car titles and also engineered former Arrow Schmidt Peterson racer James Hinchcliffe to the 2011 IndyCar rookie of the year title.
Hampson’s near-four-year term with Andretti Autosport found him as race engineer for Hinchcliffe when the driver had GoDaddy sponsorship; they earned three wins together. He also took over the team’s research and development squad as its director, responsible for wind tunnel testing, 7-post shaker rig testing and other damper development.
The commute between Chicago and Indianapolis, where Andretti Autosport is located, took its toll; when Dale Coyne Racing came calling, Hampson was happy to assume the title of lead race engineer, reuniting successfully with Bourdais.
“I am very excited to be joining the highly capable group of talented team members that Arrow McLaren SP has already assembled,” Hampson said about his new position. “There are people there who I have worked with in the past, plus others who I have previously regarded as formidable competition.
“I am eager to integrate into the projects, preparation and momentum that they already have underway for the 2020 season. This will be a year of growth and learning,” Hampson acknowledged, “but I’m confident that this team has the expertise, commercial backing, access to technology and willful ambition that makes it possible to plot a course where, in due time we will regularly challenge for race wins, Indy 500 victories and season championships.”
Taylor Kiel, managing director for the team commented, “Recruiting someone of Craig’s experience and expertise is an important step for the team as we build towards the next level of competitiveness. He is not only an accomplished and well-respected engineer, but a strong technical leader who will be a key member of our established team.
Arrow McLaren SP will have two young drivers, both veterans of INDYCAR’s Road to Indy on the grid when the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series season begins at St. Petersburg, Fla. on March 15. Indy Lights champions Patricio O’Ward and Oliver Askew will be the drivers of record for the team.