009: Team Penske's high-stakes world of IndyCar

This podcast is going to drastically expand your knowledge base when it comes to high-level motorsport, data analysis, aerodynamics, and much, much more.

What does a team need to do to take a complete open-wheeler rookie and prepare them for one of the world's most competitive race series? How does anyone even get a job working in a top-tier race series like IndyCar, and do Chevrolet or Honda even actually let teams make any changes to the engine tune? Listen to this week's 'HPA Tuned In' podcast for answers to these questions and much, much more.

From humble beginnings at the bottom of the world, data engineer Malcolm Finch has quickly climbed up the ranks and now finds himself working as a data engineer for one of the world's premier motorsport outfits, Team Penske.

In this episode, Malcolm talks us through the world of IndyCar racing. We discuss the kind of testing and precision that's needed to win at famous circuits like Tallageda, Road Atlanta, and of course — the holy grail — Indianapolis. Malcolm explains how the three very different styles of track — oval, road course, and street — found in the IndyCar series are approached from a data engineer's perspective, as well as fuel strategies, what can and can't be changed on an IndyCar, and exactly how a big team like Team Penske operates throughout the season.

Malcolm also talks us through his rise in the industry from a university graduate in New Zealand to running one of Team Penske's incredible cars in the States. Seven-post rigs, weight-jacking, and wickers — it's all covered and explained. Big thank you to Malcolm for sharing his time and experience, what a legend.

Subscribe to HPA's 'Tuned In' podcast via your favourite platform.

Think we missed a great topic? Let us know and we’ll try cover it for you in the future.