Tony Kanaan stands by Nolan Siegel after Scott McLaughlin outburst: “I know what’s right”

Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan has spoken up about the adrenaline-filled radio message that driver Nolan Siegel sent the team's way a few days ago. Siegel had found himself at the center of controversy following an on-track incident during the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway. Siegel had an uncharacteristic outburst after an incident with Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin ended his race.

The controversy began after Siegel was issued a drive-through penalty for obstructing McLaughlin, who was leading the race at the time and attempting to lap Siegel following the first round of pit stops. However, Siegel's defensive maneuver forced McLaughlin onto the grass, a move deemed unsafe by race officials and penalized accordingly.

What escalated the situation was Siegel’s reaction over the team radio. In response to the penalty, the young driver launched into an expletive-filled outburst directed at his pit crew, clips of which quickly circulated on social media.

In response to the growing controversy, the Arrow McLaren Team Principal has addressed the matter, though the team has yet to indicate whether any internal disciplinary measures will follow.

"I know what’s right for this team," Tony Kanaan said (via Fox Sports).

Nolan Siegel is currently 20th in the standings with 128 points to his name.

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Tony Kanaan is giving ex-Penske strategist another chance for selfish motives

109th Running Of The Indianapolis 500 - Practice and Previews - Source: Getty

Kyle Moyer, a former senior figure at Team Penske, is set to join Arrow McLaren Racing in a new role, marking his return to the IndyCar paddock following his recent dismissal in the wake of the Indianapolis 500 controversy.

The decision to bring Moyer on board was made by Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan, who shares a long-standing professional relationship with him. The two previously worked together during Kanaan’s 2004 championship-winning campaign at Andretti, where Moyer served as Kanaan’s team manager. Moyer will serve as the director of competition and also the strategist for Nolan Siegel, along with his current strategist.

"Kyle is one of the best strategists in the paddock, so talking about his qualities, not just about him as a human being, he knows a lot about racing," Tony Kanaan told The Associated Press. "Kyle probably is one of the top guys of knowledge of IndyCar -- he's been around it his entire life."

"And Kyle is a people person, he's that kind of guy that captivates people and people want to work for Kyle," Kanaan continued. "At the same time, he is very direct and he will call you out and he makes it so every person I've ever seen working for Kyle wanted to work for Kyle. That's something that I experienced in my career and that is probably the biggest thing. The respect that I have for the guy is unbelievable."

Moyer is expected to begin his duties immediately and will be present with the team during the upcoming test session at Iowa Speedway.