Steve Hallam, McLaren’s head of race operations, is to leave the team at the end of this year to move to NASCAR. Hallam joined McLaren in 1990 after almost a decade at Lotus, where he race engineered for Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna. Having helped engineer Mika Hakkinen to world title success with McLaren in 1998 and 1999, Hallam moved to a more senior role within the team’s race engineering department. McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh has paid tribute to Hallam’s contribution to the team. “Since joining us in 1990, Steve has become a senior member of our track operations team, doing a fantastic job,” explained Whitmarsh. “He informed us of his decision to leave some time ago but, since he is totally professional, it goes without saying that we are entirely comfortable with his continuing his work with us until the end of the season. Next year we will all miss him greatly, but we nonetheless wish him all the very best in his new adventure.” Hallam is to take up a senior position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.(Autosport)(9-13-2008) UPDATE: Another big name in Formula One is jumping ship and will be coming to the Sprint Cup series in 2009. While Steve Hallam is a name virtually unknown, in the United States, he’s considered the one of the leading engineers in that world-wide circuit and he’ll be joining Michael Waltrip Racing according to a highly-placed source at MWR who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Hallam, currently head of McLaren Mercedes Race Operations, engineered World Champions such as Brazil’s Ayrton Senna, Britain’s’ Nigel Mansell, and Mika Hakkinen of Finland. He leaves a huge operation with an annual racing budget, reportedly, in excess of $400 million the largest budget in the series for the two-car team. Hallam’s exact position is not defined as yet, according to the same source. Eric Warren will continue as vice president and technical director. An official announcement is expected by the end of the week.(Franckly Spreaking)(9-19-2008) UPDATE 2: One of the most decorated engineers in Formula One over the past three decades will join Michael Waltrip Racing this winter as Director of Race Engineering for the second-year Toyota team. Steve Hallam, a 56-year-old Englishman, will leave his post as Head of Race Operations for McLaren Racing and join MWR’s NASCAR Sprint Cup operation following the conclusion of the Formula One season. Hallam has established himself as a respected engineer and manager of the past 27 years in Formula One, participating in 430 Grand Prix, winning five World Championships while working for only two teams: Team Lotus and McLaren Racing. “Steve is a remarkable asset for any organization and I’m proud that he is joining ours,” said MWR co-owner Michael Waltrip. “He will be in a key position that will both allow him to learn about the NASCAR world while implementing the knowledge he has gained over the past 30 years in Formula One. This is another step that shows our employees, sponsors and all of NASCAR that MWR is serious about our desire to elevate our organization to an elite status in the Sprint Cup garage. Steve will galvanize the relationship between MWR and Toyota and ensure all of the tools available will be utilized properly. I’m ecstatic as an owner but maybe more so as a driver because I know I will feel the benefits of his work.”(MWR PR)(9-21-2008)
