Veteran engineer Darren Sansum has joined IndyCar to lead engine development and help be a key part of the future of engines within the series beginning on February 6.
Having previously worked for Cosworth, Ilmor and Ford, Sansum's main task is to oversee engine development and competition between Honda and Chevrolet in the Verizon IndyCar Series.
“Darren is someone we targeted early on in the hiring process,” said Jay Frye, IndyCar’s president of competition and operations. “There is a lot happening within IndyCar’s engine program, both current and future projects. Darren’s background makes him a perfect fit to lead our engine program today and into the future.”
His recent position at Toyota Racing Development for the past four years saw his expertise in helping the engine department reduce reliability failures. Prior to that, he worked with Ilmor serving as Team Penske’s NASCAR engine technical director from 2009-12.
The team had zero engine failures in all of the 2012 campaign for its two Cup series cars, including the car for season champion Brad Keselowski. Sansum’s ties to IndyCar began back in 2002 when he joined Ilmor as a development engineer.
As part of his new role within IndyCar, Sansum will also play a key part in engine regulations and help develop a new engine package for the series to help it more attractive to more manufacturers.
“What excites me about this role is that it’s an opportunity to use my 25 years of engine engineering,” said Sansum. “It’s an opportunity to help develop the sport itself and it’s particularly pertinent that it’s with IndyCar since that’s where it started for me and it’s the fastest category in North America.”
“IndyCar is going in a good direction, and I’d like to help further develop that and continue going in that direction,” Sansum added. “The competition’s very close between Honda and Chevrolet at the moment. I’d like to contribute to the evolution in this direction with the ultimate goal of adding manufacturers into the sport.”
