McLaren make another IndyCar lineup change with shock announcement

Arrow McLaren’s hectic 2024

Kicking off 2024, Arrow McLaren had signed three drivers to its IndyCar program: Pato O’Ward, Alexander Rossi, and David Malukas; Kyle Larson joined as a one-off driver for the Indy 500. But before the season could even get started, the outfit saw some lineup shake-ups.

Malukas, who was set to debut with Arrow McLaren at the Grand Prix of St. Pete, broke his wrist in a mountain biking accident. Malukas sat on the slide lines for several races, albeit still employed by McLaren, until the team opted to drop him from their lineup.

While Malukas was out, his No. 6 machine was piloted first by Callum Ilott at St. Pete and then by Théo Pourchaire.

McLaren initially announced that Pourchaire would serve as Malukas’ full-time replacement before suddenly changing tactics and employing rookie Nolan Siegel for the remainder of 2024 instead.

Now, the team at the heart of IndyCar’s lineup drama has announced another curveball. Starting in 2025, Christian Lundgaard will take over the No. 7 car currently driven by Alexander Rossi.

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Christian Lundgaard’s IndyCar career

Danish racer Christian Lundgaard looked set on seeing out a career in the Formula 1 world after finding success in the European open-wheel ladder as an Alpine junior, but a poor 2021 left him without a ride. IndyCar outfit Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing stepped in to fill that gap.

Lundgaard took home Rookie of the Year honors in 2022 against racers like Callum Ilott, David Malukas, and Kyle Kirkwood thanks in large part to a second-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway fall road course race.

The following year, Lundgaard took his first pole position at the IMS road course, followed by his first series win at Toronto. It was enough to place him in eighth in the 2023 IndyCar championship standings.

However, Lundgaard’s performance has likely been limited by his team. RLL is a decent team for any driver, but it’s the equivalent of Formula 1’s midfield. A move to McLaren — a team that has clocked some serious evolution in the last few years — makes sense for any racer looking to improve their IndyCar results.

So, where does that leave Alexander Rossi? Right now, the former F1 driver and 2016 Indy 500 winner’s future is up in the air.

According to the Associated Press, McLaren team principal Gavin Ward and Rossi’s father Pieter simply could not find a set of terms they agreed with.

In a statement given to the AP, Alexander Rossi stated that he’s “very confident with current discussions in the paddock to land a new spot. I’ll have good news to follow soon.”

It is unclear what teams Rossi has currently been in contact with. Alexander Rossi currently sits in seventh place overall in the IndyCar season standings, just 10 points adrift of his teammate O’Ward in sixth.

While Formula 1’s 2025 silly season kicked off before the season opener in Bahrain, IndyCar’s lineup for next season has been slower to come together. Lundgaard’s shocking move to Arrow McLaren, though, will likely kick off a compelling silly season loaded with surprises.