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  • Arrow McLaren SP inks Kanaan, NTT Data for 2023 IndyCar season

    Arrow McLaren SP inks Kanaan, NTT Data for 2023 IndyCar season

    In a major off-season blockbuster move for McLaren Racing, NTT Data will be joining forces with Arrow McLaren SP on a multiyear basis that will include serving as a key primary sponsor for Felix Rosenqvist for the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season. The team was also proud to reveal that the 2013 Indianapolis 500 champion Tony Kanaan will be piloting a fourth AMSP entry sponsored by NTT Data for the 107th running of the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that will occur on May 28, 2023.

    The move comes after months of speculation towards AMSP’s fourth competitor choice for the 2023 Indy 500 and as the team prepares to field three full-time entries for the upcoming IndyCar season for its drivers Rosenqvist, Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi, who announced his move to the team in June following a seven-year run with Andretti Autosport.

    As part of the multiyear deal, NTT Data will serve as the Official IT Services Partner for AMSP’s operations while serving as an associate sponsor for O’Ward and Rossi. The global technology and business solutions provider was previously the Official IT Services Partner for Chip Ganassi Racing and was a key partner for the organization since 2013. It has also been serving as a title sponsor for the IndyCar Series since 2019.

    “NTT DATA joining our great group of partners is a huge boost for Arrow McLaren SP,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said. “I’m thrilled they will be representing our No. 6 car as a Lead Partner and a major sponsor for our fourth entry in the Indy 500, piloted by Tony Kanaan. Tony proved last year he can compete with the best of them, and I’m excited to see him put on a show with our team next May.”

    “We welcome the opportunity to partner with McLaren, a long-term and valued client, and to demonstrate how sponsorships simultaneously build awareness and enhance business-to-business relationships,” Bob Pryor, CEO of NTT Data Services, added. “NTT DATA is also proud of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ growth with a strong international stable of drivers, great leadership from Penske Entertainment, and a passionate fan base attracted to the highly competitive product – where any driver can win in any weekend.”

    For Kanaan, the 2023 Indy 500 is set to mark his 22nd consecutive appearance competing in one of the most prestigious motorsport events across the world and his first competing under the McLaren banner. He spent the previous two seasons as a part-time competitor for Chip Ganassi Racing, where he finished 10th during the 2021 Indy 500 before notching a strong third-place effort during this past season’s event. He claimed his first and lone Indy 500 victory to date in 2013, which occurred after 12 previous attempts.

    Through a total of 388 career starts in IndyCar competition, Kanaan has achieved one championship (2004), 17 victories, 13 poles, 79 podiums and 4,077 laps led.

    “I feel extremely lucky to get another shot racing in the Indianapolis 500,” Kanaan said. “I’m excited to work with Pato, Felix and Alexander and race with the Arrow McLaren SP team. My biggest battle in last year’s race was against these three drivers so working with them and driving with them will be exciting for all of us.” 

    In addition to Kanaan’s Indy 500 entry, NTT Data will be sponsoring Rosenqvist’s No. 6 Dallara-Chevrolet for 10 IndyCar events in 2023, which will commence at the Streets of St. Petersburg for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 5 and conclude at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on September 10. The new partnership deal with AMSP reunites NTT Data with Rosenqvist, who was previously sponsored by the IT solutions provider when he competed for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2019 and 2020. It also comes nearly two months after Rosenqvist was announced to remain with the organization for the upcoming season.

    The 30-year-old Rosenqvist from Värnamo, Sweden, is coming off a strong 2022 season with AMSP, where he achieved a single podium result at the Exhibition Place in Toronto, Canada, in July along with nine additional top-10 results throughout the 17-race schedule before finishing in eighth place in the final driver’s standings, one spot behind teammate O’Ward.

    “I look forward to representing NTT DATA once again,” Rosenqvist said. “They’re a great partner and are committed to the series. I welcome them to the McLaren Racing family and am ready to start the season off in St. Petersburg, racing the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. It will also be great to race alongside Tony and learn from him as we prepare for the Indy 500.”

    The new partnership between NTT Data and Arrow McLaren SP is set to commence at the Streets of St. Petersburg for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 5, which will also commence the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season. The event’s coverage is scheduled to occur at noon ET on NBC.

  • Rosenqvist retained by Arrow McLaren SP, Palou remains at Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023

    Rosenqvist retained by Arrow McLaren SP, Palou remains at Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023

    Three days following the conclusion of the 2022 NTT IndyCar Series season, the future fates for both Felix Rosenqvist and Alex Palou were revealed. For Rosenqvist, he will be remaining as a full-time driver for Arrow McLaren SP and be part of the team’s three-car expansion for next season. Palou, meanwhile, will continue to pilot the No 10 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.

    The news comes following a summer-long swirl highlighting both competitors and organizations that started in July when Palou initially disputed the news of CGR retaining him for 2023 by announcing his intentions of joining McLaren in 2023. Palou’s news of being placed as an option for McLaren prompted Ganassi to file a civil action lawsuit against the Spaniard who won the 2021 IndyCar championship in Ganassi’s No. 10 entry, which lasted throughout the summer. The contract dispute between Palou and CGR also began to affect Rosenqvist’s future with McLaren and AMSP, in spite of the Swedish competitor signing a contract extension to remain at McLaren, but with no specific series announced.

    With the news on Wednesday that Palou and CGR have reached a resolution to their contract dispute, Rosenqvist, who also appeared to be remaining in IndyCar with McLaren for next season, will compete in his third season for AMSP in 2023. The news means that Rosenqvist completes AMSP’s three-driver lineup that includes Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi, who was announced to be joining the organization in June while being replaced at Andretti Autosport by Kyle Kirkwood.

    “There’s no better way to enter the off-season than with this news!” Rosenqvist said. “I love this team, and I’m so happy to continue working with all the incredible people I’ve gotten to know over the past two seasons. With everything the team has in the pipeline, the continuing relationship with Pato and the addition of Alex Rossi, we are going to bring our A-game for 2023. It will be the most exciting season for me so far. Let it be March already!”

    Rosenqvist, who last visited Victory Lane in the IndyCar circuit since Road America in July 2020, is coming off a strong 2022 campaign, where he finished in eighth place in the final drivers’ standings with 393 points on the strength of two poles and his maiden podium with McLaren after finishing third at the Exhibition Place in Toronto, Canada, in July. He also piloted the No. 7 AMSP Dallara-Chevrolet to a total of 10 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 11.8 throughout the 17-race schedule. His eighth-place result in this year’s final standings marked an improvement of 13 spots from the previous season, where he finished no higher than sixth place on the track and missed two races in June following a hard accident during the first of a Belle Isle Street Circuit doubleheader feature on Saturday, June 12. His 2021 average-finishing result was 16.4.

    “I’m delighted that Felix will again be racing with AMSP through 2023,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, added. “He had a strong 2022 season, and I look forward to seeing what he, Alex Rossi and Pato O’Ward can do when they join forces in papaya. It’s also great to have Alex Palou joining the McLaren Racing family in our Testing of Previous Cars programme.”

    For Palou, the 2023 season will also mark his third campaign with Chip Ganassi Racing. The Spaniard, who won the 2021 IndyCar title with Ganassi on the strength of his first three career victories, capped off the 2022 season by capturing his first elusive checkered flag of the season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. The victory along with six podiums, 173 laps led and an average-finishing result of 8.0 throughout the 17-race schedule were enough for Palou to conclude the season in fifth place in the final standings despite tying Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin for fourth place with 510 points.

    Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.

    Following the news, Palou, who will still participate in a McLaren F1 testing session at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain this week, took to social media to confirm his racing plans for next season.

    With both drivers’ plans for next season set, they turn their attention to contend for the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series championship. The 2023 schedule remains to be determined.

  • Pato O’Ward grabs late victory in the second IndyCar doubleheader feature at Iowa

    Pato O’Ward grabs late victory in the second IndyCar doubleheader feature at Iowa

    A day after losing to Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward benefitted from a late incident involving Newgarden to win the Hy-Vee Salutes to Farmers 300 at Iowa Speedway on Sunday, July 24.

    The 23-year-old O’Ward from Monterrey, Mexico, spent the majority of Sunday’s event in the top five and was running in the runner-up spot on Lap 235 when Newgarden, who dominated and was vying for a weekend sweep at Iowa, wrecked in front of him following a mechanical failure. Taking control by leading the final 66 laps, O’Ward made a restart with 51 laps remaining work to his advantage as he rocketed away from Will Power and the field to grab his second NTT IndyCar Series victory of the season and draw himself back into the championship picture.

    With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, Will Power, who started on pole position on Saturday, also started on pole for Sunday’s main event after clocking in a pole-winning lap at 178.013 mph in 18.0796 seconds, which marked his 66th career pole in the IndyCar Series. Joining him on the front row was teammate Josef Newgarden, who posted a fast qualifying lap at 177.904 mph in 18.0907 seconds and went on to win Saturday’s event at Iowa.

    When the green flag waved and the race commenced, Power launched his No. 12 Verizon 5G Dallara-Chevrolet clear of the field and ahead of teammate Newgarden while Pato O’Ward, who started eighth, rocketed his No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara-Chevrolet to fourth place behind Takuma Sato. Through the first lap, Power led the first lap as O’Ward challenged and overtook Sato for third place. 

    Through the first 10 scheduled laps, Power was leading by half a second over teammate Newgarden’s No. 2 Hitachi Dallara-Chevrolet followed by O’Ward, Sato and Conor Daly while Scott McLaughlin, Jack Harvey, Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Ericsson and Rinus VeeKay were in the top 10. Romain Grosjean was in 11th followed by teammate Colton Herta, Jimmie Johnson, Alex Palou and David Malukas while Simon Pagenaud, rookie Kyle Kirkwood, Ed Carpenter, Scott Dixon and Callum Ilott were in the top 20.

    By Lap 20, Power stabilized his early advantage to six-tenths of a second over teammate Newgarden while O’Ward, Sato and Daly remained in the top five. Behind Rosenqvist challenged and overtook Jack Harvey for seventh while McLaughlin was in sixth.

    Ten laps later, Power continued to lead by nearly four-tenths of a second over teammate Newgarden as the leaders started to approach lapped traffic. O’Ward and Sato remained in third and fourth while McLaughlin cracked the top five in fifth ahead of Daly and Rosenqvist. By then, Jack Harvey was back in 14th as he was overtaken by Colton Herta.

    Just past the Lap 40 mark, Conor Daly and Simon Pagenaud pitted under green, with Pagenaud making multiple pit stops and spending multiple laps in his pit stall as he was encountering radio issues.

    Back on the track on Lap 50, Power continued to lead by nearly six-tenths of a second over teammate Newgarden followed by O’Ward, Sato and McLaughlin while Rosenqvist, Ericsson, VeeKay, Grosjean and David Malukas were in the top 10.

    Nearing the Lap 60 mark, names like Alexander Rossi, Alex Palou and rookie Christian Lundgaard pitted along with Devlin DeFrancesco, Dalton Kellett, Colton Herta and Jimmie Johnson. Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Ed Carpenter and Ilott would also pit along with Grosjean, Ericsson, Rosenqvist and O’Ward.

    By Lap 65, Power surrendered the lead to pit along with his Penske teammates Newgarden and McLaughlin. VeeKay also pitted as Sato cycled to the lead followed by Malukas and Kirkwood. Once Sato pitted approaching the Lap 70 mark, Power cycled back to the lead followed by teammate Newgarden while O’Ward was in third.

    Through Lap 85, teammates Power and Newgarden dueled for the lead as they were also trying to make their way around the lapped car of Grosjean. Shortly after, Newgarden assumed the top spot as Grosjean and Herta were both lapped.

    At the Lap 100 mark, Newgarden was leading by more than a second over teammate Power while O’Ward trailed in third place by more than four seconds. Meanwhile, Ericsson was in fourth while Jimmie Johnson, who led 19 laps and finished 11th at Iowa on Saturday, was in fifth. Scored in the top 10 were McLaughlin, Dixon, Rosenqvist, VeeKay and Herta while Ilott, David Malukas, Grosjean, Sato and Christian Lundgaard were in the top 15. Meanwhile, Palou was in 16th ahead of Conor Daly, Rossi, Kirkwood and Ed Carpenter while Graham Rahal and Helio Castroneves were in 23rd and 25th.

    Twenty laps later, Newgarden extended his advantage to more than two seconds over teammate Power while O’Ward, Ericsson and Jimmie Johnson were in the top five. By then, the top-five competitors were the only ones on the lead lap, though Newgarden went to work to lap Johnson. 

    A lap later, the first caution flew when Kyle Kirkwood, who was overtaken by the leader Newgarden, wrecked his No. 14 AJ Foyt Enterprises Dallara-Chevrolet into the Turn 2 outside wall. During the caution period, the leaders led by Newgarden pitted and Newgarden retained the lead followed by teammate Power, O’Ward and Ericsson. Following the pit stops, Rinus VeeKay was given a “stop-and-go” penalty for speeding on pit road.

    When the race restarted under green on Lap 132, Newgarden retained the top spot ahead of teammate Power while O’Ward and Ericsson briefly battled for third. During the following lap, however, O’Ward, who pulled away from Ericsson, engaged in a battle with Power for the runner-up spot. 

    By Lap 140, Newgarden was leading by six-tenths of a second over teammate Power while O’Ward settled in third ahead of Ericsson and McLaughlin. By then, Scott Dixon was in sixth ahead of teammate Jimmie Johnson.

    At the halfway mark on Lap 150, Newgarden continued to lead by half a second over teammate Power followed by O’Ward, Ericsson and McLaughlin while Dixon, Johnson, Rosenqvist, Grosjean and Herta were in the top 10. Meanwhile, Alex Palou was in 11th ahead of Takuma Sato, Callum Ilott, Daly, Malukas and Ed Carpenter.

    Twenty-five laps later, Newgaraden stabilized his advantage to more than eight-tenths of a second over teammate Power while O’Ward and Ericsson settled in third and fourth. By then, Dixon cracked the top five followed by Rosenqvist and Johnson while McLaughlin was back in eighth ahead of Grosjean and Sato.

    Another 15 laps later, the battle for the lead between Team Penske’s Newgarden and Power started to slowly brew as Power was a second behind Newgarden, who was trying to navigate and lap David Malukas.

    Nearing the Lap 195 mark, the front-runners started to pit under green. By the time the final 100-lap mark of the event occurred, Newgarden cycled his way back to the lead while O’Ward emerged as the new runner-up competitor ahead of Power. 

    Ten laps later, Newgarden was scored out in front by more than a second over O’Ward followed by Power, McLaughlin and Dixon while Ericsson, Johnson, Ilott, Rosenqvist and Grosjean were in the top 10.

    Down to the final 75 laps of the event, Newgarden continued to lead by nearly three seconds over O’Ward while Power, McLaughlin and Dixon remained in the top five.

    Then with 65 laps remaining, the caution flew when Newgarden, who led a race-high 184 laps, slipped sideways and backed his No. 2 Hitachi Dallara-Chevrolet hard into the outside wall in Turn 3 following a suspension failure as his hopes of sweeping the weekend at Iowa evaporated.

    “Man, I wanna cry,” Newgarden said in the infield care center on NBC. “So sad for my team. I don’t know what happened. It was a good run. I feel terrible for us. The guys did a great job. I don’t know. Something went wrong there. Everything felt fine to me up until that point. I did have a vibration at the start of the stint, which is not abnormal. Totally unexpected. It caught me by surprised. This is racing. We’ll fight back. We got a great team here. We pick right back up. We don’t stop fighting.”

    With Newgarden out of the event, O’Ward emerged as the new leader followed by Power, McLaughlin, Dixon and Ericsson.

    During the caution, the leaders led by O’Ward pitted as O’Ward retained the top spot followed by Power, Dixon, McLaughlin, Ericsson and Johnson.

    When the race proceeded under green wit 51 laps remaining, O’Ward took off with the lead by nearly eight-tenths of a second over Power while McLaughlin, Dixon, Johnson and Ericsson duked for spots in the top five.

    Eleven laps later, O’Ward extended his advantage to more than a second over Power followed by McLaughlin, Dixon and Johnson while Ericsson, Grosjean, Herta, Malukas and Sato were in the top 10.

    Down to the final 20 laps of the event, O’Ward was leading by nearly three seconds over Power followed by McLaughlin, Dixon and Ericsson while Johnson, Grosjean, Sato, Malukas and Felix Rosenqvist were in the top 10.

    With 10 laps remaining, O’Ward continued to lead by more than five seconds over Power while McLaughlin, Dixon and Ericsson remained in the top five.

    When the white flag waved and the final lap started, O’Ward remained as the leader by more than four seconds over Power. Despite encountering lapped traffic, O’Ward, who had no late challenges from Power mounting behind him, was able to cruise his way back to the frontstretch and claim his second checkered flag of the 2022 IndyCar season. 

    With the victory, O’Ward claimed his fourth NTT IndyCar Series career victory, his second of the season and his first since winning at Barber Motorsports Park in May. The victory was the ninth of the season for Chevrolet and the second for Arrow McLaren SP.

    “The No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP guys in the pits were awesome,” O’Ward said on NBC. “I think that’s what gave us our win. Obviously, I did the job in the car to keep her safe and just to maintain there. I knew we had the pace, but it’s just tough whenever you’re going through the traffic. The guys in front of you have it in a different way than you do, so it’s just different every lap. Super stoked. Super happy. We knew that we had a great car, so I think it was all about just capitalizing and being there when it counted. The guys did a great job calling when we had to pit and it was very, very enjoyable. It’s been a great weekend.”

    “Hopefully, we can win a couple more [races],” O’Ward added. “That’d be fantastic. I think we’ve had a good year, but we’ve dumped two wins in the past couple months, so it’s definitely been a frustrating, but yet rewarding few weeks. This is the perfect momentum we need going into the month of September, August and close out the month of July at [Indianapolis Motor Speedway] road course next week.”

    Power, who swept both poles of the weekend and finished third on Saturday, came home in the runner-up spot while McLaughlin, who ended up 22nd on Saturday, rounded out the podium in third place.

    “A good day,” Power said. “You would love to get the win. [I] Led some laps and I think we were really fast. Just really cool to get the Verizon Chevy on the podium again and close out the points lead. Gotta get one of these wins soon. We’re there. We get qualifying sorted. Just enjoying it. Loving the racing. Love this track.”

    “That last restart, I really had to sort of get it going and through it to the outside of Dixon,” McLaughlin said. “He’s a pretty hard guy to throw it around the outside of and had a lot of fun, a lot of respect for him. Good times. The Freightliner Chevy was fast. It looked awesome all weekend. Very proud of the guys to bounce back.”

    Dixon finished fourth while Jimmie Johnson earned his maiden top-five result in the IndyCar circuit by finishing fifth. 

    “This is really a special day for me,” Johnson said. “For everybody that’s been on this journey with me in the IndyCar Series. So proud to have the American Legion on the car today in the race and to get my career-best finish with them. I really have to thank everybody at Carvana and taking this step with me. It took me getting on the ovals to get my best finishes and I was so happy to be able to do it here today. Tons of great support from Chip Ganassi Racing, all the teammates I have. Today was just a fun racy day out there.”

    Ericsson, Rosenqvist, David Malukas, Grosjean and Sato completed the top 10 on the track.

    There were seven lead changes for five different leaders. The race featured two cautions for 26 laps.

    With his sixth-place result, Marcus Ericsson continues to lead the standings by eight points over Will Power, 34 over both Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon, 36 over Pato O’Ward, 44 over Alex Palou and 86 over Scott McLaughlin.

    Results.

    1. Pato O’Ward, 66 laps led

    2. Will Power, 80 laps led

    3. Scott McLaughlin

    4. Scott Dixon

    5. Jimmie Johnson

    6. Marcus Ericsson

    7. Felix Rosenqvist

    8. David Malukas

    9. Romain Grosjean

    10. Takuma Sato

    11. Callum Ilott

    12. Colton Herta, one lap down

    13. Alex Palou, one lap down

    14. Graham Rahal, one lap down

    15. Devlin DeFrancesco, two laps down

    16. Conor Daly, two laps down

    17. Ed Carpenter, three laps down

    18. Alexander Rossi, four laps down

    19. Rinus VeeKay, four laps down

    20. Jack Harvey, four laps down

    21. Helio Castroneves, five laps down

    22. Dalton Kellett, six laps down

    23. Simon Pagenaud, 19 laps down

    24. Josef Newgarden – OUT, Contact, 148 laps led

    25. Kyle Kirkwood – OUT, Contact

    26. Christian Lundgaard – OUT, Mechanical

    Next on the 2022 NTT IndyCar Series schedule is the series’ return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course for the Gallagher Grand Prix and as part of an IndyCar-NASCAR doubleheader feature, which will occur on Sunday, July 30, at noon ET on NBC.

  • Pato O’Ward to reach 50 IndyCar career starts at Iowa

    Pato O’Ward to reach 50 IndyCar career starts at Iowa

    Competing in his third full-time season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Patricio “Pato” O’Ward is primed for a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s doubleheader feature at Iowa Speedway, the driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara-Chevrolet will achieve 50 career starts in the IndyCar circuit. 

    A native of Monterrey, Mexico, O’Ward made his IndyCar debut at Sonoma Raceway in September 2018, which marked the final race of the season. By then, he had achieved the 2018 Indy Lights championship title for Andretti Autosport. Driving the No. 8 Dallara-Chevrolet for Harding Racing, O’Ward started fifth and finished ninth in his debut.

    The following season, O’Ward, who departed Harding Steinbrenner Racing due to sponsorship issues that prevented him from competing with the team on a full-time basis, joined Carlin on a part-time basis in the No. 31 Dallara-Chevrolet. During his first start of the season at the Circuit of the Americas in March, he started and finished a season-best eighth. O’Ward returned for the next five of six events of the schedule, where he finished 12th at California’s Long Beach Street Circuit in April and 11th at The Raceway at Bell Isle, Michigan during a doubleheader feature in June. The low point for O’Ward during this span was failing to qualify for the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 in May. His seventh and final start of the season was at Road America in June, where he started 13th and finished 17th.

    For the 2020 IndyCar season, O’Ward joined Arrow McLaren SP as driver of the No. 5 Dallara-Chevrolet. Commencing the season with a 12th-place result at Texas Motor Speedway in June and two consecutive eighth-place results during the following two events, O’Ward came within striking distance of claiming his maiden IndyCar victory in the second of a Road America doubleheader feature in July. Starting on pole position for the first time in his career, he led a race-high 43 of 55 laps but was overtaken by future teammate Felix Rosenqvist on the penultimate lap as he settled in a career-best second place.

    Three races later, O’Ward notched a strong sixth-place result in the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 in August, where he was named the Indy 500 Rookie-of-the-Year recipient. The following weekend during a doubleheader feature at Gateway Motorsports Park, he notched two consecutive podium results and was up in fourth place in the standings. When the season concluded at the Streets of St. Petersburg in October, O’Ward, who notched his third runner-up result, capped off his first full-time campaign in IndyCar competition in fourth place in the final standings along with a pole and four podiums.

    Remaining at Arrow McLaren SP in 2021, O’Ward started the season on a strong note by starting on pole and finishing in fourth place at Barber Motorsports Park in April. Three races later and during the second of a doubleheader feature at Texas Motor Speedway, O’Ward scored his maiden IndyCar victory following a late battle with Josef Newgarden. As a result, O’Ward became the first Mexican competitor to win in the IndyCar Series since Adrian Fernandez won at California Speedway in October 2004. He also recorded the first victory for the team that was once Schmidt Peterson Motorsports since James Hinchcliffe won at Iowa Speedway in July 2018. By winning at Texas, O’Ward fulfilled a deal made with McLaren CEO Zak Brown prior to the 2021 season, where the rising Mexican star would receive a McLaren F1 test at season’s end if he recorded a victory in the IndyCar circuit.

    Four races following his maiden IndyCar victory, O’Ward achieved his second career victory in the second of a Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader feature at the Belle Isle Street Circuit in June following another late battle against Newgarden. By then, he emerged with a one-point advantage in the drivers’ standings.

    As the 2021 IndyCar season progressed, O’Ward remained in the cusp of a close championship battle against Alex Palou, Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon. After finishing second at Gateway’s World Wide Technology Raceway in August, O’Ward was leading the standings by 10 points over Palou. During the following two events, however, Palou, who won at Portland during this span while O’Ward managed a fifth-place result at Laguna Seca, reassumed the championship lead and led O’Ward by 35 points entering the season-finale event at the Streets of Long Beach. During the finale, however, O’Ward was involved in an early incident with Ed Jones, where Jones spun O’Ward. Despite continuing, the Mexican eventually retired due to a broken driveshaft originating from his spin. The end result saw O’Ward conclude his sophomore season in a career-best third place in the 2021 final standings along with two victories, five podiums, three poles and an average-finishing result of 8.3.

    This season, O’Ward notched his third IndyCar career victory at Barber Motorsports Park in May following a late battle against Palou and Rinus VeeKay. To go along with a strong runner-up result in this year’s 106th running of the Indianapolis 500, a pole at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course during the Fourth of July weekend and an average-finishing result of 12.0, he currently sits in sixth place in the drivers’ standings and trails points leader Marcus Ericsson by 75 points.

    Through 48 previous IndyCar starts, O’Ward has achieved three victories, five poles, 11 podiums, 411 laps led and an average-finishing result of 9.7.

    O’Ward is scheduled to make his 49th career start in the NTT INDYCAR Series in the Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 at Iowa Speedway on Saturday, July 23, at 4 p.m. ET on NBC before achieving his 50th series start in the Salute to Farmers 300 at Iowa on Sunday, July 24, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC

  • Rossi inks multiyear deal with Arrow McLaren SP, beginning in 2023

    Rossi inks multiyear deal with Arrow McLaren SP, beginning in 2023

    A day after revealing himself to be a free agent for the upcoming NTT IndyCar Series season, Alexander Rossi has a new team to call home after announcing that he has inked a contract to drive for Arrow McLaren SP on a multiyear basis, beginning in 2023.

    The 30-year-old Rossi from Nevada City, California, is currently campaigning in his seventh full-time IndyCar season with Andretti Autosport, where he is ranked in 11th place in the drivers’ championship standings on the strength of three top-10 results through the first six scheduled events, including a fifth-place result during last weekend’s 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    The announcement comes a day after Andretti Autosport revealed that Rossi would be replaced by Kyle Kirkwood, the reigning Indy Lights champion who is now a rookie IndyCar competitor this season for AJ Foyt Enterprises.

    “First, I want to thank everyone at Andretti Autosport for an incredible seven years,” Rossi said. “It has been a great ride with an awesome team, and it has been an honor to race for the Andretti name and for Michael for so long. The time has come for a new challenge, with a team that is growing in the sport. I look forward to contributing to the development of Arrow McLaren SP and helping them reach the top. I see the commitment this team has to each other and to me, and I’m looking forward to getting started. It’s time for me to race for another one of motorsport’s biggest names: McLaren.”

    Rossi joins the McLaren Racing family with a bevy of success across different motorsports regions, including five starts in Formula One and victories in the GP2 Series, Formula BMW Americas and the World Final, the 2021 Baja 1000 and the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona. He became a full-time IndyCar competitor in 2016 after signing with Andretti Autosport and six races into his rookie season, he utilized fuel strategy to win the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 and notch his first career victory in the IndyCar Series. He went on to achieve six additional victories and a total of six poles and 25 podiums to his resume through May 2022 with a best points result of second place in 2018. He also holds a current average-finishing result of 9.7.

    Rossi’s move to Arrow McLaren SP will mark his first time competing for a new time in the IndyCar Series, where he will be a teammate to Pato O’Ward as part of the team’s plans to expand to three cars for next season. O’Ward, who is ranked in second place in this year’s championship standings on the strength of winning at Barber Motorsports Park in early May and finishing in second place during last weekend’s Indianapolis 500, inked a contract extension with Arrow McLaren SP nearly a week ago to remain with the organization through 2025.

    “As we look forward to 2023, we are looking for a driver that will be a great fit and bring experience to the team,” Taylor Kiel, President of Arrow McLaren SP, said. “Alex is a driver who knows what it takes to succeed in this sport and will strengthen our talented driver line-up. He shares the same winning mindset that I see every day across Arrow McLaren SP and I think we will find a lot of success together in the years to come.”

    “Alex is a proven race winner and an Indianapolis 500 champion, who shares our desire to win,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, added. “It is essential that we put the right talent in place, both inside and outside the car, so we can consistently compete for championships and race wins as a team. He is someone we have had our eye on for some time and we’re excited to see what he’ll do as a part of Arrow McLaren SP.”

    Announcements regarding Arrow McLaren SP’s third and final driver as part of the three-car lineup is yet to be determined.

    With his racing plans for next season and beyond set, Rossi sets his focus for the upcoming NTT IndyCar Series event at Belle Isle Circuit for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, which will occur on Sunday, June 5, at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.

  • O’Ward inks new contract extension with Arrow McLaren SP

    O’Ward inks new contract extension with Arrow McLaren SP

    Pato O’Ward has signed a new contract extension with Arrow McLaren SP to remain with the organization in the NTT IndyCar Series through the 2025 season.

    The 23-year-old O’Ward from Monterrey, Mexico, is currently in his third full-time IndyCar season driving the No. 5 Dallara-Chevrolet with AMSP, where he is ranked in seventh place in the championship standings. He notched his first victory of the season at Barber Motorsports Park during the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama in early May.

    The news of O’Ward’s extension with AMSP comes after the Mexican competitor initially commenced this season testing himself on the free agency list. Following his victory at Barber Motorsports Park, O’Ward expressed high confidence of his intentions to remain with the organization as he continues his pursuit for his first IndyCar title.

    “I am incredibly happy to have locked in my future with Arrow McLaren SP,” O’Ward said. “This team has truly felt like home for me over the past three years, and I can’t wait to build on our success as we compete for wins and championships. I want to thank the whole team for this opportunity. This is exactly where I want to be.”

    O’Ward, who won the 2018 Indy Lights championship while driving for Andretti Autosport, made his IndyCar debut at Sonoma Raceway in September 2018, where he drove the No. 8 Harding Racing Dallara-Chevrolet to an impressive ninth-place finish. He then campaigned on a part-time basis for Carlin in 2019 before joining Arrow McLaren SP as a full-time competitor in 2020. After notching his first four podiums and finishing in fourth place in the 2020 standings, it only took the first four scheduled events of the 2021 season for O’Ward to claim his first IndyCar victory in the first of a Texas Motor Speedway doubleheader feature in May. Another four races later, he won for the second time in his career at The Raceway on Belle Isle during the second of a Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader feature in June. Throughout the 2021 season, he contended for the championship against Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden before late misfortunes dropped and settled O’Ward in a career-best third place in the final standings.

    Through May 2022, O’Ward has achieved three victories, four poles, 10 podiums and 354 laps led all with Arrow McLaren SP. He has also achieved an average-finishing result of 9.2 in 43 IndyCar career starts.

    “The entire team is excited that Pato is onboard for the long haul,” Taylor Kiel, President of Arrow McLaren SP, said. “He is an important part of our plan here at Arrow McLaren SP; his energy and work ethic is infectious. Having watched him develop since he joined the team, I look forward to building on these foundations to increase our performance and achieve our common goals in the years to come.”

    “Pato is an important part of McLaren’s future in INDYCAR, and we are happy that he will be a key part of Arrow McLaren SP for years to come,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, added. “He is an incredibly talented driver who has already shown what he is capable of in INDYCAR, and I look forward to watching him take the next step in his promising career.”

    The remainder of Arrow McLaren SP’s driver lineup for the 2023 season, which will see the team expand to three cars, will be announced at a later date.

    With his future set, O’Ward’s next scheduled event is the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he will start in seventh place as he pursues his first Indy 500 title. The event is scheduled to occur on Sunday, May 29, at 11 a.m. ET on NBC.

  • Rosenqvist to make 50th IndyCar career start at GMR Grand Prix

    Rosenqvist to make 50th IndyCar career start at GMR Grand Prix

    Competing in his fourth full-time season in the NTT IndyCar Series, Felix Rosenqvist is within reach of a milestone start. By taking the green flag in this weekend’s GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, the driver of the No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara-Chevrolet will make his 50th career start in the IndyCar Series.

    A native of Värnamo, Sweden, Rosenqvist, the 2015 European Formula 3 champion with an extensive competition and race-winning background across a variety of motorsports regions, made his inaugural presence in the IndyCar Series at the start of the 2019 season. By then, Rosenqvist, who was also coming off two strong seasons in Formula E, joined forces with Chip Ganassi Racing to replace Ed Jones and pilot the No. 10 Dallara-Honda. 

    Making his debut in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in March, Rosenqvist notched a strong fourth-place result after starting third and leading 31 laps. During the following 11 scheduled events, he achieved his maiden pole at the Indianapolis Grand Prix Circuit in May and a total of seven top-10 results. 

    In late July, Rosenqvist earned his first IndyCar podium result at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after finishing in second place behind teammate Scott Dixon. The following event at Pocono Raceway, however, he was involved in a harrowing opening lap accident after being clipped by Takuma Sato in the Tunnel Turn as his car dragged the catch fence and nearly flipped before coming to rest driver’s right-size up. Despite the wild ride, the driver emerged uninjured. Following the Pocono wreck, Rosenqvist managed to collect a second podium result of the season after finishing second at Portland International Raceway and a fifth-place result in the season-finale Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in September. By finishing sixth in the final standings, Rosenqvist captured the 2019 Rookie-of-the-Year title.

    Remaining at Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2020 season, Rosenqvist rallied from a three-race slump to start the season by achieving his maiden IndyCar career victory in the second of a Road America doubleheader feature in July after overtaking Pato O’Ward with two laps remaining. Despite the win, Rosenqvist finished in the top 10 in four of the remaining 10 events to the season as he settled in 11th place in the final standings.

    Following a two-year stint with Chip Ganassi Racing, Rosenqvist transitioned to Arrow McLaren SP to pilot the No. 7 Dallara-Chevrolet, where he replaced Oliver Askew and competed alongside his new teammate, Pato O’Ward. Through the first six events of the season, Rosenqvist struggled with consistency as he finished no higher than 12th, which occurred at the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, in April.

    Then during the first of two Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix events at The Raceway at Bell Isle, Michigan, Rosenqvist was involved in another harrowing accident on Lap 24 of 70 after a locked throttle to his car sent the driver head-on into the tire barriers at full speed as the car came to a rest atop the barriers. Despite surviving the incident, Rosenqvist, who was taken to a downtown Detroit hospital for further evaluation, did not participate in the following two IndyCar events at Detroit and Road America as Oliver Askew and Kevin Magnussen took turns filling in the No. 7 Dallara-Chevrolet.

    Making his return at Mid-Ohio, where he finished 23rd, Rosenqvist went on to finish in the top 10 twice during the final six events of the 2021 IndyCar season, with his best on-track result being sixth place at Portland International Raceway in September. When the season concluded at California’s Long Beach Street Circuit, Rosenqvist settled in 21st place in the final standings.

    Remaining at Arrow McLaren SP for the 2022 season, Rosenqvist notched his second IndyCar career pole position at Texas Motor Speedway in March and has achieved a season-best result of 11th place at the Streets of Long Beach in April. He is currently ranked in 16th place in the drivers’ standings through the first four scheduled events.

    Through 49 previous IndyCar starts, Rosenqvist has achieved one victory, two poles, three podiums, 110 laps led and an average-finishing result of 13.2.

    Rosenqvist is scheduled to make his 50th NTT IndyCar Series career start in the GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on Saturday, May 14, with coverage to occur at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

  • Pato O’Ward capitalizes for late IndyCar victory at Barber Motorsports Park

    Pato O’Ward capitalizes for late IndyCar victory at Barber Motorsports Park

    In an event dominated by Rinus VeeKay, Pato O’Ward rose to the occasion in the late stages and rallied from a difficult start to the season by winning the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday, May 1.

    The 22-year-old O’Ward from Monterrey, Mexico, spent more than 70% of Sunday’s event trailing pole-sitter Rinus VeeKay. During a late cycle of pit stops under green with less than 30 laps remaining, however, O’Ward capitalized on the opportunity to close in and overtake VeeKay for the lead. From there, he fended off Alex Palou by less than a second to grab his first NTT IndyCar Series victory of the 2022 season.

    With on-track qualifying occurring on Saturday, Rinus VeeKay started on pole position after notching a pole-winning lap at 124.980 mph in one minute, 6.2507 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Pato O’Ward, who recorded a fast lap at 124.698 mph in one minute, 6.4003 seconds.

    The first lap of the event occurred under caution as the IndyCar competitors were still working to line up in double lanes under a cautious pace.

    When the green flag waved and the race commenced on the second lap, VeeKay took off with the lead followed by O’Ward and Scott McLaughlin battled Alex Palou for third place while the rest of the field jostled for positions in a long single file line. 

    As the field made their way through the 15-turn circuit for a full lap under green, VeeKay was leading ahead of O’Ward, McLaughlin, Palou, Alexander Rossi, Felix Rosenqvist, Romain Grosjean, rookie Callum Ilott, Graham Rahal and Josef Newgarden.

    Through the first 10 scheduled laps, VeeKay continued to lead by more than a second over O’Ward while McLaughlin, Palou and Rossi occupied the top five, all while trailing VeeKay by more than three seconds. Rosenqvist, Grosjean, Ilott, Rahal and Newgarden remained in the top 10 ahead of Colton Herta, Jack Harvey, Marcus Ericsson, Christian Lundgaard and Scott Dixon. Takuma Sato, Helio Castroneves, Devlin DeFrancesco, Will Power and David Malukas were in the top 20 while Jimmie Johnson was mired in 25th.

    A lap later, pit strategy ensued as Marcus Ericsson pitted his No. 8 Huski Chocolate Dallara-Honda. Shortly after, Newgarden pitted his No. 2 PPG Dallara-Chevrolet along with Helio Castroneves and Jack Harvey. During the proceeding lap, Colton Herta veered his No. 26 Gainbridge Dallara-Honda to his pit stall for his service along with rookie Kyle Kirkwood, who endured a slow pit stop after his pit crew encountered issues while changing the right-front tire. In the midst of this, Romain Grosjean also made his way to pit road for service.

    On Lap 15, Herta overshot the course entering the first turn while battling teammate Grosjean, but the race proceeded under green as the two Andretti Autosport teammates continued to battle.

    By Lap 20, VeeKay extended his advantage to more than two seconds over O’Ward while McLaughlin, Palou, Rossi, Rosenqvist, Ilott, Rahal, Lundgaard and Dixon were in the top 10. By then, Will Power was in 13th, Johnson was in 16th ahead of Newgarden, Herta and Grosjean and Ericsson was in 22nd behind Tatiana Calderon and Jack Harvey.

    Nearing the Lap 30 mark, Rosenqvist pitted his No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara-Chevrolet along with Devlin DeFrancesco, O’Ward, Rossi, Ilott, Lundgaard, Takuma Sato, David Malukas and Simon Pagenaud. Soon after, the leader VeeKay made his first pit stop of the event along with Palou, McLaughlin, Rahal, Power and Dixon.

    Then on Lap 32, the first caution of the event flew when Ilott, who was having a stellar run in the top 10, overdrove and spun in Turn 9 before getting his No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Dallara-Chevrolet stuck in the gravel while battling Castroneves. At the moment of caution, Newgarden, who was on a different strategy from the leaders, was leading ahead of Herta, VeeKay, Grosjean, O’Ward, McLaughlin, Palou, Harvey, Rossi and Ericsson.

    Under caution, some like Newgarden pitted while the rest led by VeeKay remained on the track.

    When the race proceeded under green on Lap 36, VeeKay retained the lead ahead of O’Ward as the field jostled for positions. 

    On Lap 41, Castroneves got into the rear end of Johnson’s No. 48 Carvana Dallara-Honda, which sent Johnson spinning in Turn 8 while the race proceeded under green. As a result, Castroneves was assessed a drive-through penalty for the incident.

    At the halfway mark on Lap 45, VeeKay was leading by over O’Ward while McLaughlin, Rossi, Palou, Dixon, Power, Rosenqvist, Rahal and Pagenaud were in the top 10. Herta was up in 11th ahead of Sato, Laundgaard, Newgarden, Grosjean, Ericsson, DeFrancesco, Harvey, Malukas and Conor Daly while Johnson and Castroneves were back in 22nd and 23rd behind Kyle Kirkwood.

    Five laps later, VeeKay stabilized his advantage to less than two seconds over O’Ward while McLaughlin, Rossi and Palou remained in the top five. 

    By Lap 60, VeeKay continued to lead by more than two seconds over O’Ward followed by McLaughlin, Rossi, Palou, Dixon, Power, Rahal, Herta and Pagenaud.

    Shortly after, pit stops under green ensued as Rossi pitted followed by Rosenqvist, Lundgaard, DeFrancesco, Harvey and Rahal. During the following lap, the race leader VeeKay pitted followed by O’Ward, McLaughlin and Power. Despite VeeKay exiting pit road ahead of O’Ward, the latter was able to gain the speed needed to overtake VeeKay for position after trailing him throughout the event.

    When the pit stops concluded on Lap 65, O’Ward cycled his way into the lead while Palou, who had just exited his pit stall on Lap 64, fended off VeeKay for the runner-up spot, thus dropping VeeKay to third place. With Ericsson pitting, Dixon and McLaughlin were in the top five followed by Power, Rossi, Rahal, Herta and Pagenaud.

    With 20 laps remaining, O’Ward was leading by more than a second over Palou while third-place VeeKay trailed by more than four seconds. Dixon and Power were in the top five followed by McLaughlin, Herta, Rahal, Rossi and Grosjean.

    Five laps later, O’Ward continued to lead by more than a second over Palou and more than six seconds over VeeKay. Behind, a tight battle ensued for fourth place as Dixon was in position ahead of Power, McLaughlin, Herta, Rahal, Grosjean and Rossi. Soon after, Herta made contact with McLaughlin while battling for position and spun, but he proceeded under green.

    Down to the final 10 laps of the event, O’Ward remained as the leader by more than two seconds over Palou and more than seven seconds over VeeKay. Power and Dixon remained in the top five while McLaughlin, Rahal, Grosjean, Rossi and Herta were scored in the top 10. Pagenaud, Ericsson, Newgarden, Sato and Lundgaard were in the top 15 followed by Rosenqvist, DeFrancesco, Harvey, Daly and Malukas while Castroneves and Johnson were in 21st and 24th.

    With five laps remaining, O’Ward retained the lead by more than a second over Palou while third-place VeeKay trailed by more than 10 seconds. While Power and Dixon stabilized themselves in the top five, McLaughlin continued to be pressured by Rahal and Grosjean for more. 

    When the white flag waved and the final lap started, O’Ward remained as the leader by more than a second over Palou. With the battles ensuing behind but none near his No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara-Chevrolet, O’Ward smoothly navigated his way through the 15-turn circuit and cycled his way back to the finish line to claim his first checkered flag of the season.

    The victory was the third of O’Ward’s IndyCar career and first since he won the first of a Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader feature in June 2021. He also recorded the fourth consecutive victory of the 2022 season for Chevrolet and the first of the season for Arrow McLaren SP.

    “[Team principal] Taylor [Kiel] told me we were fighting for the win when we almost got [VeeKay] in the pit stops, so I said, ‘No, this is the chance, man.’ It was so tough to follow just because it’s such a fast and flowing circuit, so I knew if I would have the opportunity it would have been right then and there. I got on my [push to pass] button, got around him into [Turn] 5, and I knew if we would get into clean air, we could kind of control the thing. Once we did that, [we] cruised to Victory Lane.”

    The Barber victory also erased all speculations of O’Ward’s on-track struggles to the start of the season and uncertainty beyond this season as he is now poised to ink a new contract extension with Arrow McLaren SP.

    “It sucks to be at war within your own team, so I’m glad there’s been very positive talks for the future,” O’Ward added. “And man I wanted to do it for these guys, for Arrow McLaren SP, Team Chevy, they’ve swept this year so far, so I think it’s great for them…I was tired of being 10th, 11th and fifth, so I said let’s get a win under our belts so we can claw our way back into this championship fight.”

    Alex Palou, who notched his first IndyCar career victory at Barber a year ago, settled in second place as he trailed O’Ward by less than a second. Despite falling one spot shy of claiming his first victory of the season, Palou emerged as the new leader in the championship standings.

    “We had a good day, overall,” Palou said. “Super happy with P2. [O’Ward] was running second at that time. I think we were running fourth. Just that track difference, that’s what got us. I did a mistake on the restart where [Rossi] got us there. I think that was all the difference. [O’Ward] was really fast today, but super happy with the No. 10 American Legion Honda car. It was super fast all weekend. Another podium. We were fighting till the end. Couldn’t make it today, but we’ll try on the next one.”

    VeeKay, meanwhile, came home in third place after leading a race-high 57 of 90 laps.

    “We were in a great race and coming into pit lane, and I really got held up a little bit with Jimmie [Johnson], so Pato closed the gap a lot,” VeeKay said. “I was so much looking in my mirrors I forgot to use the push to pass because I was too much looking in my mirrors. Yeah, I was just a little bit too conservative there. So pretty bummed missing out on that win. We had a great car, great race.”

    Power and Dixon completed the top five on the track while McLaughlin, Grosjean, Rahal, Rossi and Herta finished in the top 10. 

    Following the event, Rahal voiced his displeasure towards Grosjean over their late battle and on-track contact. 

    Newgarden, who was vying for his third consecutive win in the IndyCar Series along with a $1 million bonus, settled in 14th place after an early gamble with a three-stop strategy was spoiled due to Ilott’s incident. 

    There were five lead changes for four different leaders. The race featured one caution for three laps.

    With his runner-up result, Alex Palou leads the IndyCar drivers’ standings by three points over Scott McLaughlin, nine over Josef Newgarden, 10 over Will Power, 30 over Pato O’Ward and 31 over Scott Dixon.

    Results.

    1. Pato O’Ward, 27 laps led

    2. Alex Palou, four laps led

    3. Rinus VeeKay, 57 laps led

    4. Will Power

    5. Scott Dixon

    6. Scott McLaughlin

    7. Romain Grosjean

    8. Graham Rahal

    9. Alexander Rossi

    10. Colton Herta

    11. Simon Pagenaud

    12. Marcus Ericsson

    13. Takuma Sato

    14. Josef Newgarden, two laps led

    15. Christian Lundgaard

    16. Felix Rosenqvist

    17. Devlin DeFrancesco

    18. Jack Harvey

    19. Conor Daly

    20. David Malukas

    21. Helio Castroneves

    22. Kyle Kirkwood, one lap down

    23. Dalton Kellett, one lap down

    24. Jimmie Johnson, one lap down

    25. Callum Ilott, two laps down

    26. Tatiana Calderon, two laps down

    The 2022 NTT IndyCar Series season will be returning to action at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the GMR Grand Prix. The event is scheduled to occur on May 14 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

  • Montoya reunites with Arrow McLaren SP for Indianapolis May events

    Montoya reunites with Arrow McLaren SP for Indianapolis May events

    A familiar name will be returning to the NTT IndyCar Series starting grid in May 2022 after it was announced that Juan Pablo Montoya will be joining forces with Arrow McLaren SP and Mission Foods for a second consecutive season as he competes in the GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on May 14 followed by the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indy’s iconic oval-shaped layout on May 29.

    Montoya, a racing veteran from Bogota, Columbia, will be piloting the No. 6 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara-Chevrolet for both Indy events, where he will be a teammate to AMSP’s full-time drivers Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist, as he also bids for his seventh Indianapolis 500 entry and third victory.

    “I’m excited to return to Indianapolis with Arrow McLaren SP and Mission, to once again compete in a race that holds a special place in my heart – the Indianapolis 500,” Montoya said. “I had a great experience with the team last year and look forward to building on the progress we made in 2021. I think we have a real shot at competing at the front of the field and challenging for the win.”

    In May 2021, Montoya drove the No. 86 AMSP Chevrolet to a 21st-place result in the GMR Grand Prix at the Indy road course followed by a ninth-place result in the 105th running of the Indy 500. He won the 500 in his first attempt in 2000 while competing for Chip Ganassi Racing, thus becoming the first Columbian to achieve an Indy 500 victory, and became a two-time Indy 500 champion in 2015 while driving for Team Penske.

    Montoya, whose racing career started with karting, returns to AMSP with a rich motorsports resume that includes previous competitions in British Formula 3, International Formula 3000, FedEx Championship Series, Formula One, IndyCar, Rolex 24 at Daytona, NASCAR, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, 24 Hours of Le Mans and FIA World Endurance Championship. During this span, he has competed for organizations that include Williams Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, Team Penske, Meyer Shank Racing, DragonSpeed USA and McLaren.

    To go along with two Indianapolis 500 victories, Montoya has one championship and 15 career victories in IndyCar competition. His last victory in IndyCar was at the Streets of St. Petersburg in March 2016 while driving for Team Penske, which also marked his last full-time IndyCar season to date. He claimed his maiden IndyCar title in 1999 in a tie-breaker against Dario Franchitti.

    By competing in both Indianapolis events this season, Montoya will reach 97 career starts in the IndyCar Series.

    “We’re delighted to have both Juan Pablo and Mission Foods back for another Indianapolis 500,” Zak Brown, McLaren Racing’s CEO, said. “Juan Pablo is an institution in motorsport, with two Indianapolis 500 victories and an impressive Formula 1 career with multiple wins for McLaren. He adds experience that really benefits our team, giving us another driver with the potential to win anytime he steps into the car.”

    Mission Foods, which partnered with Arrow McLaren SP in 2020, will be represented on Montoya’s car and suit for both Indy events and will serve as a yearlong associate sponsor for O’Ward and Rosenqvist.

    “We are thrilled to partner again with Juan Pablo Montoya and Arrow McLaren SP for the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500,” Juan Gonzalez, Mission Foods’ CEO, added. “The Indianapolis 500 and Juan Pablo are legendary to racing and loved by race fans everywhere. It’s an honor for our brand to align with icons like these.”

    The 2022 GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course is scheduled to occur on May 14 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. The 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled to commence on May 29 at 11 a.m. ET on NBC.