Tuesday 28 March

INDIANAPOLIS – McLaren Racing Engage launches its first North American partnership with Path to the Pits for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Path to the Pits, a budding charitable organization aimed to create a more diverse and inclusive talent pipeline in motorsport, first teamed up with Arrow McLaren in 2022 to begin its efforts in exposing young adults to racing careers through networking and trackside access.

Path to the Pits, which focuses on making motorsport more accessible to underrepresented groups, joins the other McLaren Racing Engage programs centered on female representation, diversity and inclusivity which include the Women’s Engineering Society, EqualEngineers, Smallpiece Trust and Creative Access.

Through the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, Path to the Pits will activate at multiple races, working with local colleges and tech education programs to host young adults focused on STEM careers. The program will introduce them to racing and the wide range of careers within motorsport.

The first event of 2023 will take place during the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach April 14-16 where 25-30 participants will have an immersive experience, touring the paddock, networking with and learning from industry insiders and gaining resume and career guidance. Path to the Pits will activate at the Indianapolis 500 qualifying weekend May 20-21 and the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix June 2-4. Additional race weekend events will be announced through the season.

In addition to the at-track events, Path to the Pits participants will have exclusive invitations to virtual panels and discussions with industry insiders and professionals as well as ongoing career guidance through resume reviews, interview preparation tips and networking opportunities.

Young adults who are interested in learning more about motorsports and this program can visit www.path2pits.com and register to receive more information.

Kate O’Hara-Hatchley, Head of Diversity, Early Careers & Development for McLaren Racing, said:

“Welcoming Path to the Pits as our first North American partner of the McLaren Racing Engage program is not only exciting but important as well. We’re committed as an organization to grow accessibility and inclusivity in motorsport , and to do so requires investment and creative solutions. Partnering with Path to the Pits helps us do both.”

Vicky Martinez Muela, Founder and President, Path to the Pits, said:

“McLaren Engage has done so much to elevate the work of nonprofit organizations working toward inclusivity in motorsport. The charitable organizations McLaren Engage sponsors in the UK are doing impactful work, and to be included among them, and the first in North America, is an unbelievable honor. In the United States, Arrow McLaren is leading the way in partnering with programs that support their sustainability goals, including Path to the Pits. With their dynamic support, the 2023 season will be filled with significance, purpose and value for our organization.” 

Streets of St. Petersburg

Race Date: Sunday, March 5

Round: 1/17

Total laps: 100 Laps

Total race distance: 180 miles/289.68 km

Length: 1.8 miles/2.90 km

Number of turns: 14

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet

Starting Position: 3rd

Finishing Position: 2nd

Championship position: 2nd, 41 points

“We did everything right today; it’s just always something. The team deserved that. Dallas is next. We’ll fight for that one. Compared to where we were last year here, we took a massive step. We gave that one away. We can’t have that happen anymore. I know we’re second, though.”

Alexander Rossi, No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet 

Starting Position: 12th

Finishing Position: 4th

Championship position: 4th, 32 points

“It was a day about maximizing what we had. We got lucky with some cars going out or making mistakes. Ultimately, the team did a really good job. I think we were just one second behind all weekend. But first time out with the guys and girls, these are the days you need when you don’t quite have the ultimate pace. Obviously, it was a shame what happened to Felix at the start, but I think we had two really good cars – Pato showed that, almost had the win. All in all, a really strong start, and we’ll take this positive momentum to Texas.”

Felix Rosenqvist, No. 6  NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet 

Starting Position: 8th

Finishing Position: 19th

Championship position: 19th, 11 points

”It was a tough day. We had such a good weekend, then that second corner I’m side by side with Dixon and he didn’t see me in the mirror. The wall just appeared in front of me and I had nowhere to go, and that was it. It’s unfortunate. But we actually got back out there, the team did a hell of a job to put the car back together. I think we did 30-40 laps and got us up in P19. It’s not much, but it’s actually a lot considering we were back in the garage for half an hour. We’ll take it, put the rest in the trash and move on.”

Gavin Ward, Race Director, Arrow McLaren

“Obviously, a little bit heartbreaking when you think you’re going to win a race and it doesn’t quite go your way at the end, but that’s motor racing. Overall, you take the big picture view here. We came in here wanting to get some good points on the board. It’s a long season, and the key to the season is consistency and two of our cars got right up there in the top four, so have to be super happy with that. Felix, his crew dug deep and got that car back out there to gain some extra points and spots. I’m proud of those guys. Rossi has a lot of new people on his car, his first race with the team. His finish is what we need to be doing to give him a chance for the championship. Pato had a great car all weekend and had a strong race, but we have a lot we need to look at on the end of the race there. Onwards to Texas where we were strong last year and we hope to be even stronger this year.”

2023 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Arrow McLaren Practice Report

Streets of St. Petersburg

Practice Date: Friday, March 3

Round: 1/17

Total laps: 100 Laps

Total race distance: 180 miles/289.68 km

Length: 1.8 miles/2.90 km

Number of turns: 14

Session start times:

• Practice 2: Saturday, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. ET
• Qualifying: Saturday, 2:15 – 3:30 p.m. ET
• Warm-Up: Sunday, 9:00 – 9:30 a.m. ET
• Green Flag: Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET

TUNE IN: Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet

Practice 1: 11th, 01:02.0177

Total Laps: 23

“I’m very happy with the car. The team did a fantastic job on all the pre-event stuff to arrive with a way better baseline than what we’ve had in the years past. Some guys put on some new tires there in the end, but we didn’t. I’m very happy with it. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Felix Rosenqvist, No. 6  NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet 

Practice 1: 15th, 01:02.1094

Total Laps: 26

”I think we had a good start. It’s kind of hard to read into the times because a lot of people changed their tires. We decided to save our tires for tomorrow, only using the one set we started with. We put up really competitive times even after 20-25 laps, so I’m really optimistic. I thought the feeling of the car was good. Being the first race of the year, it’s all about how you feel about being back in the car and on a street course. I think everything felt natural, and I have a really good feeling going into the weekend.”

Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet 

Practice 1: 21st, 01:02.4616

Total Laps: 22

”It was a tough afternoon. There are a lot of differences for me, obviously, but the track seems to be a little bit unpredictable based on everyone’s comments compared to last year. It’s not quite the start we wanted, but we have plenty of time left.”

Gavin Ward, Race Director, Arrow McLaren

“It was a really solid day, to be honest. It was a solid first session for the team. It seems like a lot of cars ran a second set of tires, and we didn’t. We’re trying to set ourselves up for the best place for qualifying. Pato and Felix seem pretty happy. And Rossi, we’ve got a little work to do there and dig in, but that’s to be expected. Him being new to the team, there’s a little more to figure out in that world. I don’t think it’s dire days by any means. We need to find a couple tenths, and we’ll be right there.”

Arrow McLaren and Lucas Oil announce multi-year partnership extension

Wednesday 1 March

McLaren Racing today announced a multi-year extension to its long-standing partnership with Lucas Oil, continuing as an Official Partner of the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. 

Lucas Oil is an Indianapolis-based manufacturer and distributor of high-performance automotive oils and additives. It has been a partner of the Arrow McLaren team for nearly 20 years, starting its relationship with Sam Schmidt Motorsports in 2004.  

With the season opener, 2023 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 3-5, Lucas Oil branding will continue to be represented on all three Arrow McLaren Chevrolets, and on the driver suits of Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season and beyond. 

Matt Dennington, Executive Director, Partnerships and Accelerator, McLaren Racing, said: 

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Lucas Oil, a long-standing partner that has been with the team for nearly two decades. Through growth and changes, their support has been integral for our team. We look forward to continuing our journey as we scale up Arrow McLaren’s presence to a three-car entry into the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.”

Sam Schmidt, Team Owner, Arrow McLaren, said: 

“Lucas Oil has been a champion of our team for nearly 20 years and through many team changes. The relationship with Lucas Oil has been incredibly important for the team; they’ve been an Indy 500 partner for us every year since 2004. A partnership of this length is certainly special, and to think back on how it’s evolved over the years is a testament to their support and the quality we place on the partnerships we have as a team.”

Brandon Bernstein, Director of Partnership Marketing, said:

“For nearly two decades, the Arrow McLaren team has relied on our products to perform at the very highest levels of INDYCAR racing, and it’s an honor to extend our partnership as they expand their operation with a third entry for the upcoming season. Lucas Oil’s commitment to supplying the very best oils and additives to its race teams is why our relationship with Arrow McLaren has been so successful, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to continue this for the 2023 season and beyond.”    

Source: Team PR

Streets of St. Petersburg
Date: Sunday, March 5
Round: 1/17
Total laps: 100 Laps
Total race distance: 180 miles/289.68 km
Length: 1.8 miles/2.90 km

Number of turns: 14

Session start times:

• Practice 1: Friday, 3:00 – 4:15 p.m. ET
• Practice 2: Saturday, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. ET
• Qualifying: Saturday, 2:15 – 3:30 p.m. ET
• Warm-Up: Sunday, 9:00 – 9:30 a.m. ET
• Green Flag: Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET

TUNE IN: Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC

“It’s been a long offseason; a lot of hard work and development have gone on the last few months. I’ve always loved driving around St. Petersburg. It’s a great circuit with a great atmosphere and food. And it’s the first time in the season we get to see fans back at the race track. Everyone is so excited and pumped as we all are. I can’t wait to get out there, and I’m ready to continue building on what the team and I have been building the last few years.”

”I’m incredibly excited for the upcoming race in St. Petersburg. It’s a track that I really enjoy and have had some good results at in the past. But what makes this race even more special is that it will be my first race with my new team, Arrow McLaren. I’m looking forward to working with the team and seeing what we can achieve together. We’ve been working hard to prepare for this race, and I’m confident we’ll be competitive. It’s going to be a great challenge and I can’t wait to get started.”

”I’m incredibly excited for the upcoming race in St. Petersburg. It’s a track that I really enjoy and have had some good results at in the past. But what makes this race even more special is that it will be my first race with my new team, Arrow McLaren. I’m looking forward to working with the team and seeing what we can achieve together. We’ve been working hard to prepare for this race, and I’m confident we’ll be competitive. It’s going to be a great challenge and I can’t wait to get started.”

Gavin Ward, Race Director, Arrow McLaren

“Heading to the streets of St. Petersburg for the first race of the 2023 season brings a number of emotions, but we’re mostly just excited to get back to what we love to do: going racing. Street courses weren’t the strongest venues for us last year, so we’ve done some extra work on setups and R&D to improve our street course package. It will be interesting to see how we stack up this year. Winning championships in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is about accumulating consistent top-six finishes, so our goal is to get our three cars up there and get our season off the a strong start.”

Source: Team PR

Monday 27 February

McLaren Racing today announced its partnership with Mission Foods, a market-leading global food brand, will continue with a multi-year extension. Mission Foods has been an Official Partner of the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2020.

Mission Foods is a world-famous snack brand known for its tortilla-branded products, spanning 112 countries. It produces a wide range of corn and flour tortillas, wraps, flatbreads and chips, as well as other customized food products and snacks catering to each country’s consumer.

Across the 2022 season, Mission Foods successfully rolled out a number of trackside activations and fan offerings, including competitions to win race tickets and the 2FAST2TASTY campaign. 2FAST2TASTY is a fan-facing content series featuring the Arrow McLaren team and drivers, showcasing bespoke recipe recommendations based on healthy and fun products from Mission Foods’ diverse offering.

Mission Foods and Arrow McLaren share a motivation to grow the reach and fanbase of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Since 2021, the two brands have collaborated to bring the sport, Arrow McLaren team, and Mission Foods products to fans through interactive opportunities in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Indianapolis, and Greater Bay Area markets. These events will continue in 2023, with details of an event marking the Texas Indy 375 to be announced in the coming weeks.

Mission Foods branding will be represented across team kit, driver suits and the three Arrow McLaren Chevrolets, piloted by Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi.

Matt Dennington, Executive Director, Partnerships and Accelerator, McLaren Racing, said:

“We are delighted to announce an extension to our partnership with Mission Foods, a brand that has helped Arrow McLaren connect with its fans in fun, authentic ways. It is fantastic to see our partnership continue to evolve as it enters its fourth season, and we are excited to continue racing together.”

Juan Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer, Mission Foods, said:

“We are excited and proud to continue our partnership with the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Both Mission Foods and McLaren Racing have a strong commitment to excellence, and this partnership exemplifies our commitment to motorsports.”

2023 Arrow McLaren Open Test Preview

Open Test at The Thermal Club

Dates: February 2-3 

Length: 2.9 miles/4.67 km

Number of turns: 17

Session start times: 

• Test 1: Thursday, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. PT
• Test 2: Thursday, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. PT 
• Test 3: Friday, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. PT
• Test 4: Friday, 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. PT

Alexander Rossi – No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet  I’m excited to head to The Thermal Club for the open test. It’s always a great opportunity to get back behind the wheel and work with the team on fine-tuning the car before the season begins. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve there and gathering valuable data to help us perform at our  best during the upcoming season.