2014 Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay will join Arrow McLaren Racing the 110th running of the 500. Hunter-Reay will drive car number 31.
The signing is a great one for the team, adding experience and expertise to a group just on the verge of Indy success that just a little extra boost.
The news release frorm Arrow McLaren:
“I am beyond primed and ready to make the absolute most of this partnership”- Ryan Hunter-Reay
Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner and 2012 INDYCAR SERIES Champion, will join the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500, completing the team’s four-car lineup for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Ryan joins the team with a wealth of experience and a proven championship pedigree, having made 395 INDYCAR SERIES starts over 21 seasons, earning 18 victories and 47 podium finishes. His storied open-wheel career is highlighted by success at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he will attempt to qualify for his 18th Indy 500 in May. The veteran will be one of five active drivers competing who boast an INDYCAR SERIES Championship and an Indy 500 victory alongside Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou and Will Power.
Arrow McLaren continues its tradition of running an additional distinguished driver in the iconic 500-mile race. In past years, two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso (2017, 2020), two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya (2021, 2022), 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan (2023) and two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson (2024, 2025) have all raced in papaya in the Indy 500 as one-off entries for the team. Ryan will join Arrow McLaren’s full-time lineup of Pato O’Ward, Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard at the IMS during the Month of May in 2026.
“We recognize that a diverse range of skillsets is key to accelerating performance”
Arrow McLaren is joining forces with Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA) through a multi-year sponsorship announced today. The collaboration will focus on cultivating pathways that serve to advance, connect and enable women across the motorsports industry.
The team will play a key role in Women with Drive – Driven by Mobil 1, WIMNA’s annual Indianapolis-based summit that brings together professionals, students and leaders across the motorsports landscape to forge connection and opportunity. Held the week of the PRI Show in downtown Indianapolis, the event features panels, breakout sessions, special events and engaging networking opportunities. In 2024, Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan spoke at the event, and in 2025, Vice President of Marketing and Communications Lauren Gaudion will join the panel ‘Breaking In: Non-Traditional Pathways into Motorsports.’
Since returning to full-time racing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2020, Arrow McLaren has more than doubled its workforce amid a period of expansion and growth. The upcoming opening of the McLaren Racing Center — Arrow McLaren’s new state-of-the-art INDYCAR facility in Indianapolis — marks another milestone in the team’s continued growth and investment in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Kevin Thimjon, President, Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team, said:
“We recognize that a diverse range of skillsets is key to accelerating performance. Partnering with WIMNA provides us with an additional avenue for recruitment and development of top talent by supporting the advancement of women across our industry.”
Cindy Sisson, Executive Director, Women in Motorsports North America, said:
“This partnership underscores how collaboration between industry, community and city leadership can create a lasting impact. Arrow McLaren’s commitment to Women with Drive not only uplifts women in motorsports but also contributes to developing the next generation of skilled professionals who will drive Indianapolis’ continued leadership in motorsports innovation.”
In one of the more entertaining Fast Six sessions of the season, Christian Lundgaard snatched the pole from Will Power late, but a penalty will drop him to seventh on the starting grid. Without the penalty the front row would have been a McLaren lockout as Lundgaard’s teammate, Pato O’Ward, finished second and will inherit the pole for tomorrow’s race. O’Ward missed out on a point that would have helped in his pursuit of Alex Palou for the series championship.
Christian Lundgaard and Pato O’Ward. This will not be the last time we see this front row.
Arrow McLaren has struggled in the past in qualifying, but 2025 has seen marked improvement.
Power led for most of the Fast Six as he and teammate Josef Newgarden both made the second round. Newgarden qualified ninth, but has a six place grid penalty.
Points leader Alex Palou was making a charge for the top spot when he spun and tapped tire barrier, relegating him to sixth place
Notes
The second row will feature Will Power and David Malukas. Irony?
After all penalties are served, Lundgaard will start seventh, Newgarden 15th, Kyffin Simpson will start 18th, and Santino Ferrucci will lineup 21st.
It was a disappointing day for the Andretti team, with only Marcus Ericsson reaching the second round. Colton Herta will move up to 12th in the official lineup.
Results
The final warmup session before Sunday’s race will be this afternoon at 4:30 Pacific on FS1.
Andretti Global and MacLaren unveiled liveries for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. Andretti presented the colors for thgeir one off entry, the 98 which Marco Andretti will drive. It is basically the same as last year’s car.
McLaren has gone with a new look for each of its three entries.
Pato O’WardNolan SiegelChristian Lundgaard
I like that McLaren has made each car distinct. These three entries are the best looking McLarens for the 500 to date. I thought their throwback liveries missed the mark a bit.
I’m not sure if these liveries will be on display in the test sessions this week, but I am looking forward to seeing them in May.
First, a happy new year to everyone. The Pit Window is settled into winter headquarters, in the nick of time it appears. For those still in the north, stay safe.
The year begins with a bittersweet story. McLaren Racing has completed the purchase of Arrow McLaren Motorsports, and Sam Schmidt is no longer involved with the team. Schmidt founded Sam Schmidt Motorsports after his testing accident at Orland Walt Disney World Speedway, which left him a quadriplegic.
In 2013, he partnered with Jim Peterson, and the team became Schmidt-Peterson Motorsports. Davey Hamilton was also a partner that year, bringing HP sponsorship.
Schmidt -Peterson Motorsports sold 75% of the team to McLaren in 2021, and the name changed to Arrow McLaren SP. In 2023, the team again altered its name to the current Arrow McLaren Racing. Tony Kanaan has been named Team Principal.
The changeover is the second team ownership change since last summer, when Michael Andretti stepped down from Andretti Global.
I am sad to see Sam Schmidt leave IndyCar as a team owner. He is a profile in courage. Schmidt’s resiliency after his accident is an example for others. I wish him well, and I hope we still see him at the track.
Juri Vips will return to Indycar at Portland as Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing adds a fourth car, the 75 which Takuma Sato drove in the Indianapolis 500.
The team announcement:
ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (August 7, 2024) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that Estonian driver Juri Vips will return to NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition for his third start with the team at the BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland on August 25. He competed for the team in Portland and Laguna Seca in 2023 and will pilot the No. 75 AMADA Honda in the team’s fourth entry in Portland, along with those for Graham Rahal, Pietro Fittipaldi and Christian Lundgaard.
This will mark his second race at Portland International Raceway, where he made his series debut in 2023. He started and finished 18th and used that experience to run up front the following weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca where he was sixth fastest in Practice 1 and a mere -0.05 from advancing to the Firestone Fast Six on Saturday, qualifying seventh. After a six-grid penalty in the race for an unapproved engine change, he started 13th and was collected in a multi-car crash on the opening lap but soldiered on to finish 24th.
Vips first tested an Indy car for RLL on October 12, 2022, at Sebring International Raceway and again at Barber Motorsports Park on March 13, 2023, and has performed static simulator testing for RLL since 2023. AMADA was also the primary sponsor of the No. 75 Honda-powered entry for Takuma Sato at the 2024 Indianapolis 500.
The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season resumes with the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 on August 17 which will be broadcast live on USA beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET. All on-track action can be seen on NBC’s Peacock Premium streaming service. For more information about the series or team, visit http://www.indycar.com and http://www.rahal.com.
QUOTEBOARD:
BOBBY RAHAL, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “We’re pleased to be able to run Juri in Portland for a number of reasons. For one, he showed at both Portland and Laguna Seca last year that he certainly has the pace to feature in any event he runs with us. He has done a lot of work for us in the simulator this year, which has helped us understand the hybrid system, so it’s nice to reward him for his effort. I’m hopeful that this will lead to more races for him with RLL.”
JURI VIPS, driver of the No. 75 AMADA Honda at Portland: “I’m very grateful to the team for giving me this opportunity. I have been working closely with the team on the simulator program and it has been a year since I have been in the car, but I’m confident that the experience gained last year at Portland and Laguna Seca will help me to get up to speed quickly. It will still be a very big challenge and one I am very much looking forward to.”
Alexander Rossi
Rossi Gets Thumbs Up from Indycar Medical
Arrow Mclaren announced today that Alexander Rossi has been cleared by Indycar medial to drive again, and he will be in the number 7 car at World Wide Technology Raceway the weekend of August 15- 16.
Rossi broke his left thumb in a practice crash in Toronto before the last race before the Olympic break. He had surgery the following Monday.
Theo Pourchaire will substitute for the injured Alexander Rossi in the number 7 car at Toronto. Rossi broke his right thumb in a practice crash yesterday.
Musical chairs continue at McLaren, as the announces they have signed Christian Lundgaard for 2025. The current Rahal Letterman Lanigan driver replace Alexander Rossi, who will leave the team after not being able to reach an agreement.
The announcement from Arrow McLaren:
Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team announced today that its 2025 driver lineup is confirmed with the addition of Christian Lundgaard who will join Pato O’Ward and Nolan Siegel in the team’s three-car lineup following the close of this season.
Christian, who is currently 11th in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship standings, will pilot the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, as the team mutually parts ways with Alexander Rossi, who is in his second season with the team and finished ninth in the championship in 2023.
Christian, 22, has had a strong start to his campaign in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES earning a win, two poles and three podiums throughout his early tenure. He made an immediate splash as the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, which he’s raced with through his three seasons in INDYCAR.
A native of Hedensted, Denmark, Christian remains the only Danish driver in INDYCAR SERIES history to boast a race win after a dominant performance on the streets of Toronto in 2023.
Before launching a professional career in North America, Christian was an Alpine development racer competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship where he earned two wins and nine podiums across the 2020-21 seasons. He also raced with Alpine in the 2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship and produced a win, two podiums and two poles.
The trio of Pato, Nolan and Christian will make up one of the youngest teams in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Each driver has proven success on his resume that warrants a promising outlook for the Arrow McLaren team in the seasons to come.
Christian Lundgaard, Driver, NTT INDYCAR SERIES, said:
“I’m excited to have my plans set for 2025 and beyond, and I’m thrilled it’s with Arrow McLaren. I have a lot of respect for Zak, Gavin, Tony and the team, and I think Pato, Nolan and I will work well together. I’m focused 100% on finishing this season strong with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. We have a lot of the season left, but this is a huge weight off my shoulders that will hopefully let me compete at my best the next nine races.”
Alexander Rossi
Alexander Rossi, Driver, Arrow McLaren, said:
“My time at Arrow McLaren, while it’s been only short two seasons, has been rewarding in many ways. I’m grateful to have been part of the team’s internal growth. The No. 7 crew is fantastic, and I’ve built a lot of long-lasting friendships with the team. Zak, Gavin, Tony and I had many conversations over the last several months on my future with the team. We were not able to come to terms on a new deal, so the mutual decision to part ways is amicable. I’m very confident with current discussions in the paddock to land a new spot. I’ll have good news to follow soon, and meanwhile I’m focused on a top-five finish in the 2024 championship and a strong conclusion to my time in papaya.”
Gavin Ward, Team Principal, Arrow McLaren, said:
“Alexander has been an incredible teammate, and we’re grateful for our two seasons we’re racing with him. We wouldn’t be where we are today without him. Ultimately we couldn’t meet in the middle on terms, but we absolutely wish him the best and will do all we can the second half of the season to get him in the top five in the championship.
“Christian has had proven success in his few seasons racing in the series, and he checks the boxes for what we’re looking for in speed and potential alongside Pato and Nolan. The three make up the youngest trio on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES grid, and we know that direction has been paying off for our F1 counterparts with Lando and Oscar.
“We’re looking toward our long-term goal of sustained high performance, and I believe with these three drivers and the ongoing support of Arrow and all our amazing partners, we’re taking a good step in that direction for 2025.”
“Callum brings experience with this team and at the Indy 500 that we think is very valuable as we enter the biggest two weeks of our season”
Arrow McLaren announced today that Callum Ilott will drive the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500, finalizing the team’s four-car lineup for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The 25-year-old returns to Arrow McLaren for his third NTT INDYCAR SERIES race this season after producing a 13th-place finish at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and competing at The Thermal Club’s $1 Million Challenge. Set for his third Indy 500 start, he achieved a 12th-place finish last May as the second-biggest mover in the race after advancing 15 positions from starting 27th on the grid.
The Cambridge, England native has spent parts of the last three seasons racing for Juncos Hollinger Racing, where he’s compiled 36 starts, five top-10 finishes and a front-row start at Laguna Seca in 2022. Last season, Callum finished 16th in the championship.
Callum currently races in the World Endurance Championship for Hertz Team JOTA where he sits in second place in driver standings after three races. He is coming off a first-place finish at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps this past weekend and will be in the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet throughout the Indy 500 practices beginning Tuesday, May 14.
Callum came to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES after putting together an impressive résumé in Europe that included stints in Formula 1 as a test driver for Scuderia Ferrari and a reserve driver for Alfa Romero in 2021. Ilott also finished second in FIA Formula 2 in 2020 after grabbing three wins and five poles.
Following this race, Callum will return to Hertz Team JOTA for the remainder of the 2024 World Endurance Championship campaign. Arrow McLaren announced last week that Théo Pourchaire will pilot the No. 6 Chevrolet from the Detroit Grand Prix through the remainder of the 2024 season.
Callum Ilott, Driver, Arrow McLaren, said:
“It is any driver’s dream to race in the Indianapolis 500, and I’d like to extend a thank you to Zak, Gavin and Tony for making this happen. I’m grateful to step into this race with a familiar car and a familiar team now in Arrow McLaren. While our April Open Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was shortened by weather, the runs we did have were productive. I feel comfortable with the team and know that we can come together throughout the Month of May to put our best foot forward come race day.”
Gavin Ward, Team Principal, Arrow McLaren, said:
“Callum brings experience with this team and at the Indy 500 that we think is very valuable as we enter the biggest two weeks of our season. He and the team got along well during the first two events of the season, and we’re looking forward to carrying that over here. I’m confident that Callum and the No. 6 NTT DATA Chevy team will be competing near the front of the grid during qualifying and on race day, just like the rest of our cars.”
ARROW McLAREN INDYCAR TEAMNO. 6 NTT DATA ARROW McLAREN CHEVROLET
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 