Arrow McLaren has confirmed that Nolan Siegel will compete full-time for the team until at least the 2025 IndyCar season.
Kyle Larson is apparently eligible to return to Arrow McLaren for a second Indy 500 start and another Memorial Day Double try in 2025, should he chooses to do so and Hendrick Motorsports, his NASCAR Cup Series team, gives him the go-ahead.
When the 2021 Cup Series winner signed with Arrow McLaren in January 2023 to drive the No. 17 McLaren-Hendrick Chevrolet in this past May’s running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was revealed that his contract was for two years.
Larson has not confirmed his decision, but if he does return for the 109th running of the 200-lap race over the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Speedway, Indiana oval, he will be joined by a new teammate.
Arrow McLaren confirms surprising driver change.
Pato O’Ward is already under contract with Arrow McLaren until 2025, and it’s difficult to foresee a scenario in which the team broke links with frequent Indy 500 leader Alexander Rossi, even though his current deal is set to expire at the end of the 2024 season.
David Malukas had been slated to replace the Meyer Shank Racing-bound Felix Rosenqvist behind the wheel of the No. 6 Chevrolet this year, but a preseason wrist injury threw a wrench into those plans. Callum Ilott ended up getting the nod to compete in the Indy 500.
In a somewhat amusing moment leading up to the big race, you could hear, quite clearly, Larson asking an Arrow McLaren team official during a Peacock stream of an Indy 500 practice session who would be driving the No. 6 Chevrolet (and then ask who Ilott is).
Reigning Formula 2 champion Theo Pourchaire had been named the full-time driver of the No. 6 Chevrolet for the post-Indy 500 portion of the 2024 season. He was set to make his sixth start of the 2025 season in this Sunday’s race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
But just two races into what was supposed to be a 12-race stint with Arrow McLaren to finish off the 2024 season, he has now been replaced by three-time Indy NXT race winner Nolan Siegel.
The 19-year-old Palo Alto, California native had competed in select races for Dale Coyne Racing this year, and he had been set to return to the team for next month’s race on the streets of Toronto, Ontario. He also made a start with Juncos Hollinger Racing in the series’ most recent race at Road America, replacing Agustin Canapino.
It was ironically an incident between Pourchaie and Canapino in the race on the streets of Detroit, Michigan which led to Siegel’s substitute appearance at Juncos Hollinger Racing. Now he has replaced both drivers in a matter of two race weekends.
Though there are always questions about McLaren’s handling of driver contracts and what they can and can’t do, even when a driver is said to be “signed” for a certain amount of time, it is worth mentioning that Siegel’s new deal is reported to be a multi-year deal, which would presumably keep him tied to the team through the 2025 season.
With that in mind, Larson is set to have a new teammate if he returns to the Indy 500 for a second attempt with Arrow McLaren next year.
Ironically, Siegel was the only driver who could have replaced Larson behind the wheel of the No. 17 Chevrolet for this year’s race, had Larson opted to leave Indianapolis for Charlotte Motor Speedway to compete in the Coca-Cola 600, instead of waiting out the rain delay.
It was initially believed that Pourchaire was one of the frontrunners to drive full-time for the team in 2025. Though that appears unlikely at this stage, Rossi does remain un-signed.
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