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BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN – MARCH 12: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and McLaren F1 and Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren F1 look on from the grid during Day One of F1 Testing at Bahrain International Circuit on March 12, 2021 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images)
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BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN – MARCH 12: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and McLaren F1 and Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren F1 look on from the grid during Day One of F1 Testing at Bahrain International Circuit on March 12, 2021 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images)
McLaren Racing has broadened its reach to Indycar. The Racing division’s CEO, Zak Brown, announced that the Papaya team have acquired a majority stake in Arrow McLaren SP. Therefore, the Indycar team is now a permanent fixture to the McLaren Racing activities – which include F1, Extreme E, e-Sports, and now, Indycar.
With the Arrow McLaren team now expanding to three full-time entries, is there a possibility we may see one of our F1 favorites in the third car?
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McLaren Racing 🤝 @ArrowMcLarenSP pic.twitter.com/3UZzpnphOP
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 8, 2021
IndyCar racers Felix Rosenqvist and Pato O’Ward will continue with the team next year. Brown addressed the seats, saying, “Very happy with Pato and Felix, you’ll see them in our cars next year.”
However, the CEO is looking for more. “It’s just about getting the right package together. We have resources so the economics are not a concern. But we want to run three cars that can win races and compete for the championship.”
Will McLaren F1 drivers shift?
IndyCar has been a popular second option for most F1 players in the past. Zak Brown, close to both drivers, explained the likelihood of seeing the F1 stars in the Indy 500. “They’d both like to do it, but they’re very focused on Formula 1.”
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Lando Norris is currently third in the drivers’ championship, focused on getting beyond the third step of the podium. His teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, is trying his best to find footing in the MCL35M and get back to his former glory.
Both drivers seem to have a lot of unfinished business with the sport and the team, which is battling with Ferrari on the third rung of the championship ladder.
Starting line up for the inaugural #MusicCityGP 🎶@FRosenqvist P4@PatricioOWard P8
Time to rock n’ roll. 🎸 pic.twitter.com/ujoTSadSyM
— Arrow McLaren SP (@ArrowMcLarenSP) August 7, 2021
Brown doesn’t dismiss the possibility either. He said, “The Formula 1 paddock really enjoys IndyCar, I know the IndyCar paddock very much enjoys Formula 1, so I think that’s something unique for our racing teams. Nothing in the immediate future, but we’ll see.”
The prospect is exciting, seeing either Norris or Ricciardo representing F1 in Arrow. It is also gratifying to see McLaren racing paint various tracks orange and making their name across different motorsports. However, with the third seat empty at Arrow McLaren SP, it will be interesting to see who the team will pick.
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