Engineering Speed: How Lauren Sullivan Merged Aerospace and Motorsports

When asked about her journey in motorsports, Lauren joked, “The more I tell my story, the longer it keeps getting, I guess I have been doing this for a while.” Her path wasn’t exactly conventional, but it was always leading her to racing. With a degree in aerospace engineering, she landed a job at Boeing, after a few years she began to lose interest and wanted a new challenge. She began to look into motorsports. She grew up surrounded by NASCAR and stock cars. Determined to break into the industry, she applied to multiple teams until Team Penske reached out in 2015. From there, her career took off, eventually leading her to support Paretta Autosport’s IndyCar entry in the Indy 500 before making the jump to Arrow McLaren, where she now helps shape the future of racing aerodynamics.

How Her Racing Career Started

Lauren’s passion for motorsports was ingrained in her from a young age. Her family had a small NASCAR stock car team at a local track, not a big operation, but enough to expose her to the world of racing. She spent time cleaning the car and soaking in the atmosphere, getting an early understanding of what race days were really like. In college, she joined Formula SAE, further fueling her interest in racecar engineering. Yet, with an aerospace

degree, she never really considered a career outside of airplanes. To her, racing was a hobby, something you spent money on, not something you made money from. But as she worked at Boeing, she began to feel a disconnect. “My passion was no longer driving me,” she admitted. That realization led her to ask a pivotal question: “If I could put my love for wind tunnel testing and my love for motorsports together, what would that look like?” That question ultimately set her on the path to a career in racing.

Wind Tunnel Testing

Wind tunnel testing in motorsports is a fast-paced and dynamic process, a stark contrast to the months-long testing cycles in aerospace. In racing, teams typically have just one or two days to gather critical aerodynamic data. The process begins with a setup phase, where engineers collect baseline numbers from the car to feed into mathematical models

measuring drag and downforce. This involves mapping the car by setting parameters to measure load, essentially tracking voltage changes to assess aerodynamic performance. Unlike airplanes, where an airplane flies in open space with minimal external influences, motorsports aerodynamics must account for ground effect, wall effect, and the rolling motion of tires, which all impact performance. That constant interaction with the environment is what made motorsports so much more exciting to Lauren than working at Boeing. Lauren explained “the rolling floor in most wind tunnels simulates real track conditions, allowing engineers to test changes in real time”. Teams arrive with a list of adjustments to test, but decisions must be made on the fly, what worked, what didn’t, and what needs fine-tuning. Once the data is collected, the real challenge begins: understanding not just that a change created downforce, but why it did. This constant cycle of testing, analyzing, and refining is what makes wind tunnel testing in motorsports both demanding and exhilarating.

IndyCar vs NASCAR

When it comes to aerodynamics, the differences between NASCAR and IndyCar are vast, and for Lauren, that contrast is one of the most fascinating aspects of her work. “I always love answering that question,” she said. “I will always love NASCAR, being a NASCAR fan growing up, but from an engineering standpoint, I actually prefer IndyCar because you have more to work with.” In NASCAR, the challenge is taking a streetcar and making it as fast as possible within a set of strict limitations. IndyCar, on the other hand, is built for speed from the ground up, with every component optimized for performance. The level of technology is also significantly different, IndyCars are packed with sensors that allow engineers to see issues like understeer or oversteer in the data before the driver even reports it. While working with Paretta Autosport for the Indy 500, Lauren quickly learned just how sensitive these cars are. IndyCars operate on a razor-thin edge of aerodynamic precision, where even small setup mistakes can negatively impact a driver’s control and safety. Unlike NASCAR, where speeds and forces aren’t as extreme, IndyCars require installation laps to ensure everything is dialed in correctly. Adjusting to that level of precision was a learning curve for Lauren, but it deepened her appreciation for the complexity of open-wheel racing.

Innovation From Other Industries

For Lauren, one of the most exciting aspects of motorsports is the ever changing field and the need to always find innovative and clever ways to beat your opponents. She enjoys exploring new ways to improve her designs, often drawing inspiration from other industries. Recalling an example that sparked her interest before her time at Boeing, she shared that engineers there had ,"The challenge of keeping instrumentation secured on fighter jet models at Mach 5 speeds was resolved using a casting material originally developed for the medical field". That kind of creative problem-solving is what she loves most about development research in racing. “I am exactly where I want to be, and I’m just letting those opportunities come to me,” she declares. “That doesn’t mean I don’t set goals for myself, I’ve already accomplished things that would have blown anything I ever imagined out of the water.” One of her proudest moments was supporting a predominantly female entry at the Indy 500, and she continues to say yes to whatever challenges come her way. In motorsports, the turnaround is fast, you only have one race before the competition figures out what you’re doing, making it a constant game of innovation. On any given night, she might be deep-diving into unrelated industries, looking for the next breakthrough that could make a difference on the track.

Advice

Lauren has two key pieces of advice for aspiring engineers, both rooted in her own experiences. The first is to never hesitate to ask questions. Early in her career, she and many of her female peers held back, worried about how they might be perceived, while their male counterparts asked without hesitation. Looking back, she realizes that reluctance only made the learning curve steeper. “If you find yourself hesitating to ask a question, ask yourself why,” she said. “If you’re new, ask the question, everyone is so willing to teach.” She’s seen the culture shift over time, and while the industry isn’t fully where it needs to be, it’s better than many realize. Her second piece of advice is about supporting other women in the field. If you ever feel jealous or threatened by another woman’s success, she urges you to reflect. “You will find the answers in your own insecurities,” she noted. Instead of seeing each other as competition, she challenges women to turn to one another for growth. If someone has a skill or strength you admire, ask her for guidance. By doing so, you’re not only improving yourself, you’re making each other stronger.

Lauren Sullivan’s journey proves that there’s no single path into motorsports, only passion, persistence, and a willingness to embrace every opportunity. From growing up around stock cars to working in aerospace and ultimately finding her place in racing, she has carved out a career that blends engineering expertise with a deep love for competition. Whether it’s pushing the limits of aerodynamics, finding unconventional solutions from other industries, or mentoring the next generation of engineers, she thrives on the constant challenge of innovation. As she continues to say yes to new opportunities, one thing is clear, her story is far from over, and the impact she’s making on the sport is just beginning.