Pato O'Ward Wins 10th Career IndyCar Race as McLaren Secures First 1-2 Finish

Q: After a historic 1-2 finish, why is Arrow McLaren dismantling its winning driver duo for 2027?

Arrow McLaren is breaking up the current lineup because it sees a chance to upgrade to a more proven, championship-level roster for 2027, not because the O’Ward-Lundgaard result at Mid-Ohio changed its view. The team is keeping Pato O’Ward, but Christian Lundgaard has been told he can explore other options for 2027, and Nolan Siegel is also not expected back. In their place, Arrow McLaren is widely expected to add six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon and 2026 Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist. That would give the team a three-car group of O’Ward, Dixon and Rosenqvist. From the team’s perspective, the move is about maximizing title and Indy 500 potential. Lundgaard has been strong, with multiple wins and consistent top-five finishes, and he helped deliver the team’s first-ever 1-2 finish at Mid-Ohio. But Dixon brings one of the most accomplished résumés in IndyCar history, while Rosenqvist adds recent Indy 500-winning pedigree and prior familiarity with McLaren. Team leadership, including Zak Brown, has shown a willingness to act aggressively when elite talent becomes available. So the answer is that Arrow McLaren is not dismantling the duo because it failed. It is doing so because an unusual driver-market opportunity opened up, and the team believes replacing Lundgaard and Siegel with Dixon and Rosenqvist gives it a stronger championship-caliber lineup for 2027.

3 articles · Updated · FOX Sports · Jun 30

Mid-Ohio delivered Pato O'Ward his first victory of 2026, with the Arrow McLaren driver claiming the Honda Indy 200 for his 10th career IndyCar win.
A midway duel decided it: O'Ward passed teammate Christian Lundgaard for the lead and pulled away, while Lundgaard finished second to complete McLaren's first 1-2 result in team history.
For Lundgaard, the runner-up finish added a sixth top-five result this season and capped a dominant weekend for the team.
IndyCar now takes a week off before the series resumes July 19 in Nashville for the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix.