It is pretty common knowledge in global motorsports that McLaren is one of the powerhouses in Formula 1. It is a highly successful team that has won the Constructors’ Championship eight times and the Drivers’ Championship 12 times. What isn’t that well known is that the company also has a strong presence in the world of stock car racing through its affiliation with NASCAR.
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For the first time since its debut, NASCAR made a monumental change to its cars in 2012 by transitioning from carburetors to electronic fuel injection. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) that was developed to work with the new system was created by McLaren Applied Technologies. This arm is basically what researches and develops complicated technologies for companies in various verticals.
However, that wasn’t the first time that McLaren got into NASCAR. It created and sold alternators to a top Cup Series team back in 2005 but the identity of the team remains under covers. The McLaren ECU is called TAG-400N and it uses Freescale processors which manage the engine and log crucial data. Today, the company operates out of North Carolina, the heartland of NASCAR.
It also supplies digital dashes and critical sensors to the current teams along with product support at every race. NASCAR officials receive assistance from McLaren with scrutineering. Apart from this, the company provides components such as sensors to different OEMs and teams. It is at this juncture that a new development has come to light.
Reports suggest that both NASCAR and Formula 1 will share the same engine computer architecture beginning in 2026. McLaren plans to use the TAG-510 version for NASCAR and the TAG-700 for F1. The ones that the promotions use currently are different from each other although they wear the same branding. The doors that the new model opens up for NASCAR is interesting.
NASCAR and Formula 1 are planned to share the same engine computer architecture starting in 2026.
McLaren Applied Technologies has recently released a new variant of its TAG series ECUs with the TAG-510 version planned for NASCAR while the TAG-700 version is planned for F1. pic.twitter.com/u1Vhv2XF3V
— Bozi Tatarevic (@BoziTatarevic) October 16, 2024
TAG-510 ECU comes with the EIU-500 ECU, which is what controls engine systems like fuel injection and ignition. This module could potentially help the sport transition to a turbo V6 engine in the near future.
McLaren being associated with NASCAR in itself could be a surprising revelation for many fans. The fact that the company could be taking the sport to further heights is just icing on the cake.
