Beginning in 2023 Arrow McLaren SP will be renamed to Arrow McLaren, with the IndyCar venture dropping the last bit of the team’s history from the end of its name.
The ‘SP’ referred to Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson, who have shifted from joint team owners to minority stake holders over the past few seasons as McLaren gradually invested more and more into the team.
Schmidt himself announced at a holiday party over the weekend that the team’s name would be shortened as part of a larger rebranding effort to further align the IndyCar team with McLaren Racing’s other projects.
A new, more simple logo is also included in the changes, and is expected to be unveiled ahead of the 2023 season.
McLaren Racing first began competing in IndyCar by becoming a joint entry with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for the 2020 season.
The racing juggernaut, at the direction of McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, quickly decided to pour more resources into the program, and announced at the end of the 2021 season that it would be taking a 75% ownership stake in the team.
The team now has many logistical components shared with its formula 1 efforts, and has used that expertise to field some of the grid’s most capable entries.
Even with a more definitive rebrand coming this offseason, Schmidt and Peterson will maintain their 25% ownership stake and will remain involved in the team as much as before.
Arrow McLaren will expand to three full time drivers next season with the addition of Alexander Rossi, and will add a fourth car to their formidable lineup for the Indianapolis 500.
Discussion about this post