The Arrow McLaren IndyCar staff will substitute Alexander Rossi with Danish driver Christian Lundgaard on the finish of the 2024 season, ending the 2016 Indy 500 winner’s two-year tenure in Papaya orange colours. The transfer is an attention-grabbing one, as Rossi clearly nonetheless has the drive and expertise (although perhaps not the luck) wanted to succeed—he certified and completed fourth on the Indy 500 this yr, and sits seventh on factors following a podium at the newest Laguna Seca spherical. Lundgaard, nonetheless, reveals a variety of promise as he’s been critically outdriving his Rahal Letterman-entered automobile.
Lundgaard, to his credit score, was the favourite among the many collection’ 2025 pack of free brokers, having grabbed one IndyCar victory, a trio of podiums, and two pole positions. After three seasons with Rahal Letterman, it’s clear he was the staff’s highest performing driver, handily outscoring defacto staff chief Graham Rahal in 2023 and up to now this yr.
Rossi, in the meantime, has struggled in his time with McLaren. The 32-year-old Californian—and five-time F1 grand prix participant—hasn’t discovered a race win since July of 2022, scoring no higher than third in his time with McLaren. In the meantime teammate Pato O’Ward has grabbed a win and eight additional podiums, together with narrowly dropping the Indy 500 in Might, vastly overshadowing Rossi.
McLaren’s driver lineup troubles started with hiring defending champion driver Alex Palou on the shut of the 2022 season, which introduced with it authorized motion from Chip Ganassi Racing, the place Palou continues to race right this moment. McLaren handed Palou a $30M lawsuit for alleged breach of contract. Palou was meant to interchange Felix Rosenqvist, who was pushed out anyway on the shut of 2023. Rosenqvist’s vacated quantity six automobile has since been crammed by David Malukas (who by no means raced for the staff as he was fired following a biking harm), Callum Illott for 3 rounds, Theo Pourchaire for 5 rounds, and hopefully has lastly settled with rookie Nolan Siegel within the seat.
McLaren is struggling in 2024, sitting a transparent distance behind IndyCar prime groups Penske and Ganassi.
Rossi had this to say of his departure.
“My time at Arrow McLaren, whereas it’s been solely quick two seasons, has been rewarding in some ways. I’m grateful to have been a part of the staff’s inner development.
“The No. 7 crew is implausible, and I’ve constructed a variety of long-lasting friendships with the staff. The mutual determination to half methods is amicable. I’m very assured with present discussions within the paddock to land a brand new spot. I’ll have excellent news to observe quickly, and in the meantime I’m centered on a top-five end within the 2024 championship and a powerful conclusion to my time in papaya.”
There aren’t a ton of open seats in compelling groups the place Rossi may land. Possibly this can see a driver swap and he’ll occupy Lundgaard’s vacated RLL seat. Personally, I’d prefer to see Rossi transfer out of IndyCar right into a extra everlasting sports activities automobile function. He does have a 2021 Daytona 24 victory to his identify, in spite of everything. With Acura shifting its IMSA program again to Meyer Shank Racing, I’d hope that he may very well be pushed into one of many staff’s management sports activities automobile roles, with a possibility to race with them on the Indy 500, the place he stays fairly profitable. That may very well be the most suitable choice for him, if Mike Shank is desirous about signing that contract.
