Former Hamilton aide has ‘fallen in love’ after leaving F1

Angela Cullen claims she has “fallen in love” with IndyCar after taking up a new role as performance manager to Marcus Armstrong.

After years working alongside seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, Cullen took a year out before being lured back into the motorsport arena by her fellow New Zealander earlier this year.

Armstrong is competing in his first full season with Chip Ganassi Racing after debuting last year on the road courses and street circuits only.

Cullen concedes she did not expect to return to motorsport as swiftly as she has.

“I came into motorsport and I went straight to Formula 1,” said Cullen, speaking in a new series on IndyCar’s official YouTube channel, ‘Angela’s American Adventure’.

“I worked with Lewis Hamilton with Mercedes-Benz for seven years, and so it was a huge learning curve for me. Not only was I learning about the sport, but obviously the demands of motorsport on the drivers.

“So when I left Formula 1, I thought I was moving away from motorsport. I retired actually. I took a year off last year, and then I connected with Marcus Armstrong and I just started working with him on mental skills and things in the background.”

Cullen has revealed that a mutual sponsor resulted in the connection with Armstrong during the off-season.

The 50-year-old has now been working with Armstrong for the past few months, and has enjoyed her time in IndyCar so far.

“We had very similar values, we’re very driven, we’re very competitive, and I was really excited when I met him that he was that same way,” added Cullen.

“He said, ‘Do you want to come to a race?’ and I said, ‘Oh yeah, I’d love to come out.’ Oh my God, like IndyCar just hit me. It is so much fun, and I just fell in love with it.

“The racing is incredible, the drivers are incredible, I was overwhelmed by the expertise of everyone in the paddock. So I arrived, and I haven’t left.”