McLaren this morning named former F1 team Force India Deputy Team Principal Bob Fernley President of its IndyCar operation, a statement hire that underscores the F1 team’s ambition to join the series full time. Fernley will run the team’s '19 Indy 500 effort with driver Fernando Alonso , and he will help evaluate the feasibility of a longer-term commitment to IndyCar. IndyCar CEO Mark Miles recently told THE DAILY that a full-time entry by the team in '20 is "likely," though team CEO Zak Brown , to whom Fernley will report, later declined comment on that to TheDrive.com.