McLaren’s has unveiled the livery it will carry into the upcoming IndyCar season, its first entry into an American open-wheel championship since 1979.
The British company will contest the season in a partnership with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in a venture officially titled Arrow McLaren Racing SP. To mark its return to IndyCar, the team’s famous papaya orange — which it carries on it Formula One cars — has been merged with the Schmidt Peterson scheme of previous years.
Former Red Bull F1 prospect Patricio O’Ward and American driver Oliver Askew will contest the season for Arrow McLaren, replacing former Sauber F1 driver Marcus Ericsson and James Hinchcliffe. The car will be powered by Chevrolet engines — Honda refused to continue with Schmidt Peterson once it entered its collaboration with McLaren, owing to the acrimonious end to its F1 partnership at the end of 2017.
McLaren has made two forays into North American open-wheel racing in recent years. It attempted to win the Indy 500 with Fernando Alonso in 2017, in a partnership with Andretti Autosport, before going it alone in 2019.
More to follow…