Arrow McLaren’s collaboration with Chevrolet began in 2020 and will continue through the 2026 IndyCar season. Since establishing this alliance, the team has participated in 254 starts powered by Chevrolet engines. Throughout this period, Arrow McLaren has secured nine victories—tying for fourth all-time since 2012—and achieved a total of 44 podium finishes, ranking second in all-time Chevrolet performance. The first Chevrolet-powered win occurred in 2021 at Texas Motor Speedway, driven by Pato O’Ward.
In addition to wins and podiums, the team has earned 12 pole positions, placing them third in Chevrolet’s all-time list since 2012. O’Ward secured the team’s inaugural pole at Road America in 2020, a racetrack where he also achieved the team’s first podium that year.
Expanded Facilities Enhancing Team Operations
Arrow McLaren recently upgraded to a facility three times larger than their previous location, moving from a cramped space that housed only 30 employees to a new headquarters accommodating all 120 staff members under one roof. This expansion allows the team to bring outsourced manufacturing tasks back in-house, featuring a vast fabrication area equipped with advanced 3D printing technology. This investment is expected to improve production efficiency and innovation capabilities significantly.
At the core of the engineering team is Eric Cowdin, the Director of Engineering and a seasoned expert in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock. Cowdin, who previously served as race engineer for Team Principal Tony Kanaan during much of Kanaan’s racing career, now leads the trackside engineering group. Another important addition is Olivier Boisson, who was part of Kanaan’s 2013 Indianapolis 500 victory at KV Racing Technology. Boisson has taken the role of Head of Damper Engineering and is focused on strengthening the team’s program for street circuits.
Driver Profile: Pato O’Ward and His Impact
Pato O’Ward, 26 years old from Monterey, Mexico, pilots the No. 5 car for Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. He achieved his best championship finish in 2025 by securing second place. Since his debut with Chevrolet, O’Ward has made 106 starts, earning nine wins and seven poles, and appearing on the podium 32 times. His first victory and pole position both took place at major events in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
O’Ward’s race strategist is Nick Snyder, with Will Andersen as race engineer and Chris Nash serving as crew chief. O’Ward consistently demonstrated top speed during the 2025 season, registering an average fastest lap time of 7.29 seconds, second only to champion Álex Palou. He recorded the fastest lap in two races and ranked among the ten fastest laps in 15 of 17 races.
Regarding the team’s new workspace, O’Ward expressed enthusiasm:
“Yeah, I mean, it feels like we’re going from a studio apartment to the penthouse considering where we were. Obviously in terms of atmosphere and motivation, we’re surrounded by just an HQ that’s a lot cooler. It excites you to go to work every day. You see the pictures and you see what we’ve been able to accomplish so far and so much more that we want to accomplish. All that means something even if it’s not like right in your face. It’s in your subconscious every day that you walk through there and see that.”
— Pato O’Ward, Driver
On overcoming champion Álex Palou to win the championship, O’Ward noted the challenge ahead:
“The guy, we keep saying he can’t raise the bar the previous year. I have no idea how he’s going to raise the bar from last year. If he does, then I think everyone is toast. We got to keep chasing, keep on going and seeing how we can make him slow a little bit more. It’s been too easy for him.”
— Pato O’Ward, Driver
Rising Talent: Nolan Siegel’s Growth and Areas to Improve
At 21 years old, Nolan Siegel from Palo Alto, California, drives the No. 6 car for Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. In the 2025 season, Siegel finished 22nd in the championship, reflecting an ongoing learning curve in the series. With 27 starts under his belt, Siegel is yet to secure a win, pole, or podium finish.
His key team members include strategist Tim Keene, race engineer Kate Gundlach, and crew chief Will Schneider, who was promoted from the No. 5 team. Siegel showed marked improvement by finishing 8th and 11th in recent races at Road America and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and qualified a season-best 4th at Mid-Ohio. He was positioned well for Race #2 at Mid-Ohio, slated to start from inside the third row.
Reflecting on his first full season, Siegel acknowledged,
“I think for me, we had a lot of weekends where the pace was actually really good. Just the execution wasn’t quite there in a lot of different ways. For me, it’s been a learning experience being a part of such a big team and being a leader in that team. I think I’ve kind of grown in that role and gotten better in that role. That’s been a challenge, but something I’ve kind of embraced and really tried to learn from, again, my more experienced teammates, Tony. T.K. is really good at that, a good leader and someone that people want to work hard for. I think seeing that mindset from him has been helpful for me. I think from an actual driving standpoint, in INDYCAR I feel like there are very critical phases of the races. Some phases where you can kind of chill and save fuel, save tires, save yourself, then portions of the race during pit sequences where you really have to push. That’s where you really make a difference. For me, kind of understanding when those critical phases are I think is important and something that I learned in 2025. There were a couple races where we lost some ground just from me kind of not reading the race properly from in the car. I’ve reviewed all of that and I think that I can make big gains there for ’26.”
— Nolan Siegel, Driver
Christian Lundgaard Looks to Build on Progress
Christian Lundgaard, 24, from Hedensted, Denmark, carries car No. 7 for Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. He achieved fifth place in the 2025 championship, marking his best finish so far, with 17 starts to his name. Although without a victory, Lundgaard secured a pole position at Portland International Raceway in 2025 and earned six podium finishes, the first of which came at The Thermal Club that same year.
Lundgaard’s team includes strategist Kyle Moyer, race engineer Chris Lawrence, and crew chief Todd Phillips, with a focus on steady progression in all racing disciplines. When asked about areas needing improvement for a championship challenge, he said,
“There is not specific areas where I feel I personally need to take a big step. I think where we ended the ’25 season on ovals I think is really where we want to carry on from. I’ve done a lot of work at home in the simulator just doing laps because at the end of the day it’s the only thing we really can do. Had a lot of meetings within the team what do we need, what do I need, as a group, which direction do we need to take, setup, for it to help more. Again, it’s really just a progression. You can’t jump from A to F from one year. You really have to take it in small increments. I think that’s what the ’25 season was really for. As I said before, the 500 was the first race last year and it’s the one that counts the most. This year we have Phoenix before. I think looking at where we are in Phoenix will really determine where I am, where the team is, in May.”
— Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Regarding the addition of Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay to the team’s roster, Lundgaard stated simply,
“You said it yourself, he’s a winner.”
— Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Engineering Excellence and Leadership Fueling Team Growth
The presence of highly experienced personnel like Eric Cowdin and Olivier Boisson bolsters Arrow McLaren’s technical capabilities. Cowdin’s extensive background as Tony Kanaan’s long-time race engineer brings valuable insights to the trackside team. Boisson’s expertise in damper engineering provides critical support for the team’s performance on demanding street circuits.
Meanwhile, the strategists Nick Snyder, Tim Keene, and Kyle Moyer contribute significantly toward race day tactics and execution. Crew chiefs Chris Nash, Will Schneider, and Todd Phillips oversee the technical readiness of cars and performance under pressure. This depth of expertise allows Arrow McLaren Chevrolet to elevate their competitive edge in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
The Path Forward for Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in 2026
As Arrow McLaren Chevrolet enters the 2026 IndyCar season, the team leverages a larger, more advanced facility alongside a deep pool of engineering and driving talent. The combination of Pato O’Ward’s experience, rising stars Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard, and a strong technical support group aims to challenge dominant rivals such as Álex Palou.
The expanded workspace, with in-house manufacturing and cutting-edge technology, alongside strengthened leadership, provides renewed optimism. Stronger on ovals and street circuits alike, Arrow McLaren looks to transform previous near-misses into victories and contend for the championship title in the upcoming season.
The 2026 campaign will be closely watched by fans and experts to see if Arrow McLaren Chevrolet can convert their sustained progress and passion into winning performances on IndyCar’s biggest stages, including critical races at Phoenix and the Indianapolis 500 in May.
