INDIANAPOLIS -- Fernando Alonso is returning to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but the recently retired Formula One superstar won’t be coming alone.

IndyStar had learned that McLaren has begun to place key pieces around Alonso as the team with deep Indianapolis roots takes its second crack at the 500 this millennium.

A source with the team revealed that McLaren has forged a strategic alliance with NTT IndyCar Series team Carlin Motorsport. Ever since announcing McLaren's intention to return to Indianapolis, CEO Zak Brown has made clear that while he wants this to be a truly McLaren entry -- as to opposed to relying so heavily on another team a la Andretti Autosport in 2017 -- the team still desired an IndyCar partner.

McLaren found that in Carlin.

The second-year Chevrolet-powered IndyCar team will lend technical and operational support as well as share data and some personnel with McLaren, also a Chevrolet-powered program. In addition, Carlin will provide garage space for McLaren's 500 program.

Team owner Trevor Carlin confirmed the arrangement but declined to offer comment.

The teams are a natural match given their history together in Europe, the McLaren source said, also indicating that his team shopped around the IndyCar paddock a bit before striking a deal with Carlin. Team leaders Brown and Carlin know how their respective organizations operate, which will add a level of comfort to the partnership.

The source said the teams enjoy a good relationship, citing their shared connection to Lando Norris, who raced for Carlin in multiple disciplines -- most recently Formula 2 -- and now occupies a seat in McLaren’s new-look Formula One program.

Though Carlin is still relatively new to the 500, McLaren expects Carlin’s experience last year as a first-time entry will enable the team to “fast-track” its learning experience.

Of course, McLaren won't exactly be starting from scratch, not with the lineup it has assembled. McLaren announced last year that longtime motor sports veteran Bob Fernley would lead McLaren’s IndyCar efforts, and now his support group is beginning to take shape.

They won't be short of IndyCar experience.

Gil de Ferran, the 2003 Indy 500 winner and recently appointed sporting director of McLaren Racing, will spend much of his time, energy and focus with the McLaren IndyCar program, as McLaren’s newly appointed managing director Andreas Siedl will help run things in Europe.

The two-time CART champion served as Alonso’s driving coach for the 101st running of the 500 but will take on far bigger responsibilities this time around, overseeing the program with Fernley.

De Ferran will be joined by crew chief Anton Julian. Julian, brother of Scott Dixon crew chief Blair Julian, most recently served as crew chief/chief mechanic for Josef Newgarden's No. 67 machine at Carpenter Fisher Hartman Racing.

Longtime IndyCar engineer/aerodynamicist Andy Brown has signed on as chief race engineer. Brown has taken part in four Indy 500 victories (Al Unser Jr, 1992; Dan Wheldon, 2005; Scott Dixon; 2008; Dario Franchitti, 2010). As a member of Chip Ganassi Racing he helped engineer 34 wins and before led Panther Racing to 15 victories and two Sam Hornish Jr. IRL titles. He most recently paired up with A.J. Foyt Racing in 2017 to engineer Zach Veach’s one-off Indy 500 entry.

Brown will head up the six-person, all-McLaren engineering staff on Alonso’s timing stand. This year's effort stands in contrast to McLaren’s 2017 entry, which was outfitted almost completely by Andretti Autosport personnel, and could be viewed -- though the McLaren source would not confirm -- as the team paving its way to the oft-rumored full time entry into IndyCar in 2020.

Along with the majority of the crew being McLaren employees, the car will be built by McLaren staff, some of whom will fill out the race crew.

The engineering group will be rounded out by Charlie Ping, a previous Chevrolet IndyCar engineer and a thus-far unnamed Chevrolet engine support engineer.

Finally, two-time Indy 500 runner-up (1992, 1997) Scott Goodyear will serve as one of Alonso's spotters.

While there will be more news to come, here are a few additional items regarding McLaren’s 500 program:

Despite McLaren possessing two Indy cars, Alonso will not have a teammate for the 500 -- barring something extraordinary.

The paint scheme on Alonso’s car will not be the same as in 2017, but it will have a look similar to what Indy 500 fans have come to expect from a McLaren machine.

McLaren is slated to take part in the late-April open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

McLaren plans to announce multiple sponsorship in the coming weeks.

Follow IndyStar Motor Sports Insider Jim Ayello on Twitter and Facebook: @jimayello.