Motorsport Week
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Motorsport Week
Home Single Seater IndyCar

McLaren’s complicated driver lineup decision not in the hands of its drivers

by Kevin Dejewski
3 years ago
A A
0
McLaren’s complicated driver lineup decision not in the hands of its drivers

Who will drive McLaren's #7 IndyCar entry is only one of many questions to be answered. Photo: Kevin Dejewski

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

McLaren Racing has found itself with a new group of talented drivers under its umbrella of late, but the details about which driver will drive in which series have not yet been decided.

The team’s latest acquisition for next season Alex Palou, which hinges on the resolution of a contract dispute with the champion’s current team Chip Ganassi Racing, adds another piece to the puzzle that is not yet built.

Just in the past few months, McLaren has hired Alexander Rossi away from Andretti Autosport, retained its IndyCar duo Felix Rosenqvist and Pato O’Ward, as well as the recent Palou announcement that came earlier this week.  And not all of those drivers are slated to stay in IndyCar.

Rosenqvist and Palou in particular had hiring announcements that contained purposefully vague language as to which series they would drive in 2023.  In addition, Palou’s contract contained an offer of a test in a McLaren F1 car, matching the experience O’Ward was given late last year.

RelatedPosts

Mid-Ohio is one of drivers' favorite courses on account of the elevation changes. Photo: Kevin Dejewski

IndyCar Mid-Ohio – Qualifying Results

6 hours ago
Palou navigated the sweeping corners faster than anyone to earn pole. Photo: Kevin Dejewski

Alex Palou smokes the field to secure IndyCar pole at Mid-Ohio

7 hours ago

McLaren has plentiful to options to place drivers, including an F1 team, an expanding IndyCar team, and a newly-acquired Formula E as well.  Recent questions about Daniel Ricciardo’s future in F1 have only fueled speculation about where each driver in the McLaren stable will be find himself next season, and beyond.

O’Ward weighed in on the situation he finds himself in the middle of, and stated that he believes the decision of which driver will ultimately get an F1 seat is firmly out of each driver’s hands at this point.

“I think it’s not going to come down to who is better, because I feel like everyone is good,” said O’Ward at IndyCar’s Toronto event.  “It’s going to come to a point of – first of all, is there a seat [available in F1]?  Second of all, who’s got the super license?  Third of all, who meets the criteria of what the sponsors want, and ultimately who [the team] think works best for the F1 type.

“We’re all far into our careers where we all have our own ways of working.  Everybody has their own way.  Who knows who’s going to fit into the way the team wants you to be.  I think that’s what it’s going to come down to.  I think we’re all good, and I think we’re all capable of doing it, and we’re all capable of being winners there.  It’s just who fits the criteria I guess of what they want at the right time.

“If they choose someone, does he have the super license, does he – There are so many factors that just keep coming into play, I’ve just forgotten about it.  I don’t care, because it’s out of my control.  All I can do is perform, which I have been doing every single weekend in IndyCar.

O’Ward described to media where he fits into the complicated McLaren driver situation. Photo: Kevin Dejewski

“What I’ve learned in my career, is you be you.  You work with your engineers to get the best out of what you need from the car.  And that’s how you’re going to enjoy it.  I’m going to be me.  To me, it’s not worth it.  Every time someone tries to change you, everything just goes worse.”

Usually mid-season driver signing announcements constitute what ‘silly season’ is all about, but that is only half of the story this time around.  The other half is figuring out where McLaren is going to place all of its newly acquired talent.

Specifically concerning Alex Palou’s situation, O’Ward went on to say that he was unaware that the news would transpire as it did earlier in the week, and learned about the dispute when it went public.

“I was at dinner with Felix [Rosenqvist], and we found out together,” said O’Ward.  “I called Zak [Brown], but first I texted with Taylor [Kiel, AMSP President], the guys that have the most information. I went to the guy that has all the answers and called him.

“We’re all floating pieces at the moment.  I don’t know if [Palou’s] going to be with us in IndyCar.  That’s a great Zak question, because I don’t even know what’s going to happen.”

Tags: ArrowMcLarenSPF1IndyCarMcLarenOWardPalou
Share198Tweet124Share

Related Posts

Mid-Ohio is one of drivers' favorite courses on account of the elevation changes. Photo: Kevin Dejewski
IndyCar

IndyCar Mid-Ohio – Qualifying Results

6 hours ago
Palou navigated the sweeping corners faster than anyone to earn pole. Photo: Kevin Dejewski
IndyCar

Alex Palou smokes the field to secure IndyCar pole at Mid-Ohio

7 hours ago
Charles Leclerc qualified in sixth place for the 2025 Formula 1 British Grand Prix
Formula 1

Charles Leclerc hints at ‘weird’ issue limiting Ferrari’s one-lap pace in F1 2025

8 hours ago
Load More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Mid-Ohio is one of drivers' favorite courses on account of the elevation changes. Photo: Kevin Dejewski
IndyCar

IndyCar Mid-Ohio – Qualifying Results

July 5, 2025
Palou navigated the sweeping corners faster than anyone to earn pole. Photo: Kevin Dejewski
IndyCar

Alex Palou smokes the field to secure IndyCar pole at Mid-Ohio

July 5, 2025

Drivers’ Standings

#DriverPoints
1Álex Palou142
2Kyle Kirkwood108
3Christian Lundgaard96
4Felix Rosenqvist88
5Scott Dixon86
6Patricio O'Ward80
7Colton Herta73
8Scott McLaughlin69
9Will Power63
10Josef Newgarden58

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

 

Join our daily motorsport newsletter

* indicates required

Motorsport Week

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Other Links

  • About & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Motorsport Monday

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Formula 1
    • Latest News
    • 2025 F1 Calendar
    • 2025 F1 Championship Standings
  • Formula E
    • Latest News
    • 2025 FE Calendar
    • 2025 FE Championship Standings
  • MotoGP
    • Latest News
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • WRC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
    • 2025 WRC Standings
  • IndyCar
    • Latest News
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WEC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • Live Updates
  • Other
    • IMSA
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • Galleries
  • About/Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd