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The grid for the 107th Indy 500 is set, and surprisingly enough, McLaren has done an amazing job with their team Arrow McLaren. After the final Fast 9 Shootout, four out of the top eight cars are the Arrows, and the front two runners are among those four, also making it a '1-2' start, as many F1 fans would call it.
The Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team is powered by Chevrolet engines and has been participating in the Indy 500 historically. Although they have brought only three Indy 500 victories to their bag in all of these years (1972, 1974, 1976), this year, the chances are good for them. This is because they have the hold at the very start of the 500-mile event.
The Arrows drivers who will be starting in the top eight are:
- 1st - Felix Rosenqvist
- 2nd - Alexander Rossi
- 6th - Tony Kanaan
- 8th - Pato O'Ward
Of these four drivers, two are previous Indy 500 winners. Alexander Rossi (2016), and Tony Kanaan (2013) would be carrying high expectations from the team because of their previous victories at the event.
The Indy 500 is an event that challenges the reliability of cars and the endurance of the drivers. Although it is not as difficult as the 24 Hours of LeMans, driving for 500 miles straight, in a single stint for any driver, is not an easy job. The event counts for 200 laps around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
McLaren suffering in Formula 1 despite positive Indy 500 indications
McLaren have been the former world champion in Formula 1 with drivers like Mika Hakkinen and Lewis Hamilton. However, their time is not the best one right now as they are struggling for a competitive pace against their rivals.
The Mercedes engine the team is using cannot be of many complaints, and so, the blame comes upon the car.
Lando Norris has been with the team since 2018, and although his raw talent has been appreciated around motorsport, he hasn't been able to be on the top step of the podium with the team. The best he has done is second (Monza, 2021).
While the team did hold up to their performance by the end of the 2022 season, they have dropped back yet again. With Oscar Piastri, their recent addition, driving alongside Norris, they have managed to score only 14 points after the first five rounds.
Although they feel that Piastri could be a future world champion, it is doubtful if the team does not emerge out of their current form.
