Brown: McLaren IndyCar drivers could be given F1 tests

Zak Brown and Lando Norris. Brown is paying Sam Schmidt to put the McLaren name on his race cars

McLaren boss Zak Brown says the drivers involved in the team's full-time IndyCar effort next year could be handed an F1 test if their chance of racing at the pinnacle of motorsport is deemed "credible".

McLaren will expand into IndyCar from 2020, running a full-time program in conjunction with race winning outfit Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

While the team's line-up has yet to be determined, with incumbent James Hinchcliffe theoretically contracted to ASPM for next year, Brown says there has been no lack of interest from the driver community since the announcement last week of McLaren's full-time IndyCar endeavor.

"The phone has definitely been very active since we have announced with all sorts of individuals," said Brown in a conference with the media on Monday.

Regardless of who will fit the Arrow McLaren Racing SP bill, Brown said the IndyCar entity could serve as a pipeline to an F1 test, at least for the right candidates.

"Yeah, we currently have a rookie driver Sergio Sette Camara who is under obligation of some rookie tests in Formula 1.

"And certainly, if we feel that one of our IndyCar drivers has a credible chance in Formula 1, then for sure, we would look to put that driver in for some rookie testing.

"That's one of the exciting things about a combined Formula 1 and IndyCar effort, it will create opportunities for drivers, engineers, especially as we look into the budget cap and Formula 1 will start to change.

"There will be different ways to deploy our resources."