Fernley to lead Indy 500 bid

LONDON: Former Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley will lead McLaren’s bid to win the Indianapolis 500 with Spain’s double Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso next year.

McLaren said in a statement yesterday the Briton had been appointed president of McLaren IndyCar with immediate effect, reporting to the Formula One team’s American principal, Zak Brown.

‘‘Fernley will build and lead a technical team entirely focused on the 2019 Indy 500, while helping to evaluate the feasibility of a longerterm McLaren involvement in IndyCar,’’ McLaren said.

Fernley left Force India after the team went into administration in July and was taken over by a consortium led by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, father of Williams driver Lance.

A close associate of Force India’s financiallytroubled previous coowner, Vijay Mallya, for whom he effectively ran the team, Fernley has previous involvement in North American racing in a long career in motorsport.

Sauber will give Colombian Tatiana Calderon her second Formula One test outing in a 2013 car at Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit this weekend, the Swissbased team said yesterday.

The 25yearold last month became the first Latin American woman to drive a Formula One car in an official capacity when she drove the 2018 car on a filming day at Mexico City’s Hermanos Rodriguez circuit.

Sauber said in a statement Calderon would test the Ferrari V8engined C32 car ‘‘to advance in her learning process and development’’.

The Colombian is hoping to compete in Formula Two, the rung below Formula One, next year. — Reuters

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