Marcus Armstrong's close associate reportedly parts ways and reunites with F1 star Lewis Hamilton

IndyCar star Marcus Armstrong has reportedly parted ways with close aide and trainer Angela Cullen, who will be returning to 7-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton's side before his highly anticipated debut with Ferrari this year. As per F1.com, the New Zealander has joined the performance team of Hamilton’s Project 44 Company, led by Marc Hynes.

Cullen, who worked for Hintsa Performance, was Hamilton's physio and trainer from 2016 to 2022. During this partnership, they forged a powerful bond en route to winning four consecutive F1 drivers' championships from 2017 to 2020. They parted ways ahead of the 2023 season, on the heels of a challenging 2022 season for Mercedes.

On March 17, 2023, after the first race weekend in Bahrain, Lewis Hamilton dedicated a heartwarming Instagram post to his close ally.

"For the last seven years @cullen_angela has been by my side, pushing me to be the best version of myself. I am a stronger athlete and a better person because of her. So today I hope you’ll join me in wishing her the very best as she takes her next steps to pursue her dreams. Thank you for everything Ang, I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you 🚀✨ ," he wrote in the caption.

Angela Cullen took a sabbatical from motorsport in 2023 and pursued several personal interests from skydiving to paragliding and more. Near the end of that period, she connected with her New Zealand compatriot, Marcus Armstrong, who was in his rookie IndyCar season driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.

In an interview for IndyCar's YouTube channel in July 2024, Cullen revealed how connecting with Armstrong pulled her out of what she considered 'retirement'.

“When I left Formula 1 I thought I was moving away from motorsport. I retired actually. And then I connected with Marcus Armstrong and I just started working with him on mental skills and things in the background," she said (1:57 onwards).

Cullen then explained how a mutual sponsor birthed their professional partnership, which began in 2024.

"In the off-season, I was sponsored by SOS Hydration, who he was sponsored by as well and they connected us. We have very similar values. We’re very driven. We’re very competitive. I was really excited that he was that same way. Then he said: 'Do you want to come to a race?', and I said: 'I’d love to come out.'"

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Angela Cullen "very much a guiding force", according to Marcus Armstrong

Marcus Armstrong, NTT IndyCar Series GMR Grand Prix - Source: Getty

After Angela Cullen joined Marcus Armstrong's side in 2024, the Kiwi driver witnessed a substantial performance improvement. In his rookie season in IndyCar in 2023, he secured no Top 5 finishes. In 2024, however, he secured four Top 5 finishes, including a podium at Detroit.

In May last year, Armstrong revealed the instant impact that Cullen, who moved to live in Indiana with him, had on his mindset and results.

"We’ve been working together not that long, and I don’t even know how I managed races without her because she helps me to first off eliminate the distraction because there’s so many distractions in this sport. And our whole goal is performance-driven. If it’s not delivering performance, then we’re not going to do it," the then-CRG driver said (via AP News).

"She’s very much a guiding force when it comes to what we do on a daily basis. She’s not exactly a physio, let’s say. She’s more than that."

In 2025, like Lewis Hamilton, Marcus Armstrong has also changed teams. He will pilot the No. 66 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing, kicking off the 2025 IndyCar season at St. Petersburg on March 2.