When Joel Vermiglio isn’t working his day job at McLaren Formula 1, he’s in his Garage 68 Motorsport workshop building an old VW Caddy… with a McLaren twin-turbo V8 in the rear tray, a Lamborghini gearbox, and Porsche 911 suspension.

👉 Use 'JOEL100’ to get $100 off HPA’s Tuning Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/starterb

Joel never set out to work in Formula 1 — in fact, he didn’t have any plans to get into motorsport at all. That changed in his late teens when he got into cars, went on to study, and eventually found his way into the industry.

In this conversation, Joel shares his unexpected journey to joining one of the world’s top F1 teams — proving that you don’t need a PhD in mechanical engineering to claw your way to the pinnacle of motorsport.

We also dig into the inner workings of a Formula 1 team, getting as much behind-the-scenes insight out of Joel as we can. From design and build to the day-to-day operations and the brutal pace of life in F1, it’s a fascinating look into what really goes on.

Finally, Joel walks us through his VW Caddy project — a Frankenstein build sparked by spotting a perfectly good(ish) McLaren race motor in the scrap bin at work. Now it’s a running, driving weapon with supercar DNA and a whole lot of DIY ingenuity.

Joel’s been using our courses to learn parts of the build process that he had little experience in, so this chat also offers an interesting look at how what HPA teaches gets applied in the real world.

Follow Joel here :
IG: @garage68motorsport
YT: Garage 68 Motorsport
WWW: mclaren.com/racing/

👉 Don’t forget, you can use ‘JOEL100’ to get $100 off HPA’s Tuning Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/starterb

Timestamps:

0:00 The TRUTH About Life in Formula 1.
3:42 What was your passion growing up?
5:34 How and when did cars come on the scene?
9:23 How did a passion for electronics and cars lead to a career in motorsport
14:49 A career in motorsport can be a hard nut to crack. Just how challenging is it
23:36 Landing a job with McLaren GT
28:34 What’s involved in turning a supercar into a competitive GT race car?
33:29 What’s involved in being a systems engineer for McLaren F1?
43:30 What is a Cirrus tester and why do you use it?
44:59 Component reliability and lifespan in F1.
52:20 Crimping vs Soldering?
56:40 How has your role at McLaren F1 changed over the 9 years you’ve been with them?
1:01:25 Balancing F1 and family life.
1:10:54 What are your thoughts on where F1 is going?
1:16:34 McLaren’s development path in 2024.
1:19:57 Is Red Bull going to be lost without Adrian Newey?
1:22:54 Can you tell us why you’re an HPA member?
1:26:05 What is this project car you’re building?
1:34:52 Final three questions.

Is it time to ditch your factory ECU?

HP Tuners is known for reflashing factory ECUs, but now they’re flipping the script with their Core Standalone ECU, a complete engine management system that offers boost control, traction control, nitrous control and more right out of the box.

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

We stand up (not much seating at SEMA!) with Justin Burt from HP Tuners to break down who this ECU is for, when you should ditch a stock ECU, and what makes CORE different from the competition. Whether you’re pushing 1500hp on a factory ECU or building a dedicated motorsport machine, this discussion covers CAN bus customization, pricing, and potential future support for DI engines.

Building on from the VCM Suite reflash tuning interface, VCM LIVE software ensures a familiar interface for HP Tuners users tuned to the needs of a standalone ECU tuner, while 12 base maps, sample data logs, and beginner-to-advanced tuning modes make it accessible for both new and experienced tuners to learn and grow with.

With Gen 3/4 LS support out of the gate and Gen 3 Hemi & Coyote in development, this is more than just an LS swap ECU. In time and with the backing of a large company like HPT, is the CORE ECU potentially going to become the most versatile standalone ECU yet?

S15 suspension in a 240Z—good idea or nightmare?

Joel Dimmack’s 1971 Datsun 240Z is no ordinary drift car. Running a VR38DETT swap with Garrett GTX3071R mirrored turbos and making 600-700hp, this 1100kg wet monster blends old-school styling with modern competition-ready tech. But is an S15 suspension transplant really the best setup for drifting?

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

We dive deep into the Parts Shop MAX kit, chassis stiffening by Pace Innovations, and the MoTeC M150 ECU tuned by Nick Ashvin at NA Motorsport to see what it takes to make this build work. Plus, we break down the Albins 6-speed sequential gearbox, R32 GTR diff & axles, and the challenges of running an S-chassis suspension on a shorter wheelbase.

Braking is handled by R33 GTST calipers with Project Mu pads and rotors, along with a twin-caliper rear handbrake setup—a must for a competition drift car.

This is one of the wildest Z builds around, and it has presented Joel with some lessons and aspects he would do differently the second time around, but that is precisely what a build like this is all about and how ideas are built into skills.