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Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
'Hunt for beef': Scott McLaughlin, Tony Kanaan's yearlong IndyCar feud renewed by crash
DETROIT — McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said Saturday he thinks IndyCar drivers "go to each others' birthday parties too often" in reference to a racing series that rarely features public spats once drivers hop out of the cockpit and get a second to cool off. But drivers and rival team principals? That's another story. A year-old social media feud between Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan and Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin was stoked again Sunday afternoon in the wake of McLaughlin's role in spinning second-year Arrow McLaren driver Nolan Siegel early in Sunday's Detroit Grand Prix. The incident, which McLaughlin was given a stop-and-go penalty for avoidable contact, was captured on the Fox broadcast, a clip of which circulated on Twitter, and which Kanaan quote-tweeted mid-race with a simple message of: "Oh ok then..." Following the race, McLaughlin, who managed to finish 12th despite the penalty after starting seventh, quoted the same video clip of the incident and wrote: "Misjudged this one. Ol' mate broke quite a bit earlier than I anticipated. Good to see McLaren team principals are still on the hunt for beef... @GoodRanchers (a McLaughlin sponsor) has loads for ya. Use code #BrakeLater for 0% off." Insider: Fewer cars, bigger cities, more risks part of McLaren Racing CEO's advice for IndyCar's future Kanaan quickly took issue and quoted McLaughlin's post-race post, both making reference to McLaughlin's Indy 500 warmup lap crash and Roger Penske firing his entire IndyCar leadership team amidst Team Penske's 500 qualifying tech infractions: "Misjudged last week, misjudged this week, at least you get a weekend off to square that away. I came looking for your team principal to have a chat but I couldn't find him. Oh wait..." At the time of writing, McLaughlin has had the last word, writing back: "Our team principals aren't usually on Twitter during the race, but you've got my phone number mate (with a laughling emoji at the end for good measure)." Here's the entire exchange: Nearly a year ago, the pair went back-and-forth a couple times in the wake of Arrow McLaren releasing Theo Pourchaire midseason, just over a month after committing to the young French driver for the remainder of the 2024 IndyCar season post-Indy 500 in the No. 6 Chevy as a medium-term replacement for David Malukas, who injured his wrist in a preseason mountain biking accident and then was fired four races into the campaign through a clause in the deal that gave Arrow McLaren the ability to sever ties without issue. Pourchaire had made his IndyCar debut at Long Beach as a Malukas stand-in before also tackling Barber and the IMS road course. Callum Ilott took the reins for the 500, but a runway had been cleared for Pourchaire for the final 12 races of 2024. And then Siegel, an Indy NXT title contender at the time who missed Road America while filling in for Juncos Hollinger Racing's Agustin Canapino, made clear to IndyCar teams his wishes to hop in an Indy car midseason if possible, and in the wake of the young American driver assisting in a 24 Hours of Le Mans class win for the Brown-owned United Autosports team, Brown, Kanaan and then-Arrow McLaren team principal Gavin Ward opted to hire Siegel as the team's long-term Malukas replacement. Insider: Alex Palou's crash in Detroit Grand Prix continues streak of Indy 500 winner not winning next race The unrelenting, multi-month game of musical chairs — started by Alex Palou signing a contract with the team in the fall of 2022 for 2024-2026, and then deciding late in the season to stay with Chip Ganassi Racing — made the team a popular punching bag both publicly and privately in the paddock. And no one leaned into it more than McLaughlin, who wrote on Twitter in the wake of Pourchaire's release: "Let's take a moment of silence for all the trees sacrificed for McLaren contracts."
Indianapolis Star
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
Fewer cars, bigger cities, more risks part of McLaren Racing CEO's advice for IndyCar's future
DETROIT — If you see McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown walking around the IndyCar paddock during the tail end of the Detroit Grand Prix, and you notice he's not wearing a hard card, don't be alarmed. It's simply result of forgetting to pack it during a whirlwind couple weeks that culminated last weekend with his first Monaco Grand Prix win and bled into his first visit to the IndyCar paddock in 2025. He's not, as he joked with a small group of assembled media Saturday afternoon, run so far afoul of Roger Penske to have had his hard card pulled. But that doesn't mean Brown doesn't have bold ideas for the sport that expand far beyond Penske Entertainment's MO of prioritizing cost savings, balancing the books, making incremental steps toward growth and largely only looking toward partners in order to tackle big, bold projects, rather than stepping into the unknown and betting on the sport's brand, momentum and stars on its own. 'We need to play more offense. Sometimes, we're playing too much defense,' Brown said. ''Cost savings, cost savings, cost savings …' At some point, you've got to say, 'I want to spend more to make more.' 'I'm of the view that whatever (Roger Penske) bought (IndyCar, IMS and IMSP) for, it can (be worth) 10 (times) that, but the way to get there is to put in even more substantial investments into the sport. There's a difference between sustaining the spot and covering some losses, versus going and putting $100 million in. There's no reason why IndyCar as a series shouldn't be worth billions, but I think we need to put in more investments in key areas, and that's where the payback comes from.' Now, that's not to say Penske, Penske Corp. and Penske Entertainment haven't injected untold amounts of millions into the sport that weren't being spent before Tony George approached Penske on the grid at Laguna Seca in 2019 to gauge his interest in stewarding the sport's future. At last count in 2023, Penske had spent at least $50 million on refurbishing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to bring it up to "Penske perfect" standards. Other sizable, notable investments in and around the sport include backstopping the ever-delayed hybrid launch that IndyCar and its manufacturers eventually had to take into their own hands to get to the finish line after a series of delays, purchasing the Long Beach Grand Prix, expanding staffing levels at key areas of IndyCar to help the sport in its attempts to seek growth and reach younger audiences in the ever-changing media landscape and taking on various levels of promoter roles at new events like Iowa, Milwaukee and Nashville. Undoubtedly, the sport is in a better place than it was before Penske took the reins, but after years of solidifying IndyCar's foundation — a process many in the paddock would privately say has lasted too long — teams outside those annually competing for championships are finding it increasingly difficult to stay afloat, with budgets that have risen as much as 30% or more in recent years and prospective partner interest not following the same trajectory. Many of the sport's biggest events have seen multiple years of attendance growth, and IndyCar, too, has experienced the occasional TV ratings win — most notably last weekend's Indy 500 that averaged more than 7 million viewers and saw a peak at 8.4 million, despite a rather lackluster closing stint. But even as series leadership parrots its off-track victories in ratings, attendance and merchandise sales, the implication around the paddock is that all isn't so swell for the teams who put their all on the line each weekend — without which the series wouldn't survive. And so, in Brown's eyes, in order for the entire ecosystem to experience a positive financial impact, the swings from series leadership need to be bigger — something ex-IndyCar team owner Michael Andretti famously said a year ago at St. Pete, only for Penske and his leadership to be up in arms privately, and public announce the creation of multiple small committees within the paddock to tackle the various issues at hand. That weekend, Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles told reporters that, among that project, Brown had been added to a new marketing committee, something which has turned into a running joke Brown brings up with any chance he gets. Because that 'committee' has never met. Brown said he was never formally invited to anything and only found out second hand of the nomination, and he quipped Saturday that perhaps he actually is the chairman of said committee, 'And maybe that's why there's been no meetings, because I'm supposed to call them.' Several of Brown's big-picture ideas aren't altogether new. After all, he's been known to release the occasional manifesto or open letter to fans and, for years, he's been the sport's loudest and most frequent voice that IndyCar should be pushing boundaries, leading instead of following, investing in more cutting edge technology in its cars and racing in bigger markets. But it was notable Saturday to hear that a meeting he had earlier in the day with Penske, Penske Corp. president Bud Denker, Penske Corp. executive VP of marketing and business development Jonathan Gibson, IMS and IndyCar president Doug Boles and Penske's son, Greg 'was one of the best meetings I've had with IndyCar,' according to Brown. 'I was very encouraged. I think they recognize the issues and opportunities. 'It was a good hour, and you could see a few raised eyebrows of, maybe everyone doesn't always say that to (Roger), but I was doing it in a productive (manner).' Brown later accused some of his rival team owners of 'when 'the captain' isn't around, they say one thing, but then when he is, they say another. When he's not around, the teams are like 'grrrr', and when he is, it's like, 'Hey, everything's great!' It's like, that's not what you said 20 minutes ago.' And I actually think that does a disservice when you don't give him real feedback.' On a positive note, Brown said the addition of Fox Sports as IndyCar's exclusive media rights partner, led by CEO Eric Shanks, has been 'mega,' noting that, 'When you look at the list of things we need, you need to get the right broadcaster, and I think we've done that. We still have the other 19 things to do, but that one has been done and done successfully.' Brown would, though, like to see IndyCar start its schedule even earlier — as early as the Saturday of the Daytona 500 race weekend, he boldly said, and if not at minimum the weekend immediately after NASCAR's Super Bowl-esque event, so as to expand IndyCar's season as much as possible and shorten the period during which it largely becomes irrelevant in the motor racing world. Like so many, he thinks IndyCar is sorely in need of a new car and an explicit road map for what that will look like. Though he understands current and prospective manufacturers are continuing to weight their options on whether to hop on board the proverbial IndyCar train for 2027 and beyond, 'but at some point, you've go to go.' As the team boss of the 2024 World Constructors' Championship in Formula 1, Brown intimately knows and has first-hand experience in the ways in which F1 commercial rightsowner Liberty Media has taken the sport to new heights, particularly in the U.S. Among the ways in which he thinks Penske should take a page out of Liberty's playbook are the ways in which F1 has twice now launched game-changing new races in the U.S. in the last five years and used those additions to supercharge the entire ecosystem with funding and revenue opportunities. 'Even though (the Las Vegas Grand Prix) isn't profitable today, it brought in a ton of new sponsors, and you've got a more lucrative TV contract. So if I look at the (IndyCar) schedule, I think we need to be in bigger cities,' Brown said of his not altogether new refrain. 'I know it's got to be fiscally difficult to say, 'I want to race in New York City,' but I think you've got to invest in a few more key markets where races may not be profitable, but you'd drive greater following of the sport, more sponsorship and bigger TV ratings. And then you'd get your money back in value creation and growth of the teams and the sport. 'The payback probably doesn't come on a race-by-race basis, but what it does is elevate the sport. You might not be making millions off of the New York Grand Prix, but you could have hundreds of millions off the value creation growth, which then drags up all the teams and gets more sponsorship.' And though Penske Entertainment launched a charter system last fall that gives full-time teams on the grid (outside newcomer Prema Racing) something tangible to be able to sell, should they wish to scale back or take advantage of tides rising within the paddock, that system comes with very little in terms of true revenue sharing that major American sports fans see across the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, beyond rather miniscule Leaders Circle payments ($1.2 million in 2025) that make up somewhere around 10% of an individual car's budget. Brown would love to see what he calls 'a true franchise system' for IndyCar, where teams could ride the waves the sport's governing body and ownership group are said to be feeling while also benefitting from a truly exclusive club that can't be joined without purchasing an existing team's entry, or 'charter.' Last fall, Penske Entertainment doled out 25 charters, but still allowed for Prema Racing's two open cars to make for a 27-car grid. 'Then, that means as a team, my (profit and loss) is one thing, but the value of my IndyCar team has gone up," Brown said. "You have everyone rowing in the same direction, because everyone is sharing in the growth of the sport.' And it's in that vein where Brown holds perhaps his most controversial take: the McLaren Racing CEO sees multiple cars on the grid as anchors holding IndyCar back, or parachutes significantly slowing the sport's growth potential. In his 'quality over quantity' vision, he points to Ferrari road cars and Richard Mille watches, the ownership of which exude luxury and exclusivity. 'Is it 20, or 22, or 24 cars? It's probably in that range, and all a sudden, you've got three or four people looking, and they might want to buy a franchise, and you can't get in unless you buy your way in,' he said. 'I think like any sport, 75% of your fans are mostly interested in your top teams. I don't think the fans would miss three or four cars from the grid that aren't going to win races and don't add much value. And if you have scarcity, it'll help with fewer yellow flags. These tracks are congested, and you'd probably have a better on-track product.
Indianapolis Star
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
Arrow McLaren, IndyCar Series driver Pato O'Ward through the years
Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) watches as cars make their way down towards turn one during the third day of practice for the 104th Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, Aug. 14, 2020. Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) removes his helmet after Carb Day practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar May 2, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) of Mexico celebrates in victory lane after he wins the Xpel 375 IndyCar race at Texas Motor Speedway. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward (right) signs autographs and takes pictures with fans during a Cinco de Mayo celebration Wednesday, May 5, 2021, on Main Street in Speedway, Ind. Jenna Watson/IndyStar Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) makes his way into his pit area Friday, May 21, 2021, during Fast Friday practice in preparation for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward talks with McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown at the series' 2022 season-opener in St. Pete. Provided By IndyCar Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) puts in his earbuds on Thursday, April 21, 2022, the second day of open testing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of the Indy 500. Jenna Watson/IndyStar Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) stands in his pit box Tuesday, May 17, 2022, during the first day of Indianapolis 500 practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) takes a picture with a fan Thursday, May 19, 2022, during the third day of Indianapolis 500 practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bob Goshert/For IndyStar Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) and Arrow McLaren SP driver Alexander Rossi (7) spray champagne on one another Saturday, May 13, 2023, during the celebration of the GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Jacob Musselman/For IndyStar Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) signs Roberto De la Vega's shirt Thursday, May 18, 2023, during the third day of practice for the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar A crew member greets Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) after he climbs out of his car Sunday, May 21, 2023, during the second day of qualifying ahead of the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bob Goshert/For IndyStar Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward (5) sits in his pit box Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, during practice for the Gallagher Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar After a three-win IndyCar season in 2024, all three of them coming from veteran driver Pato O'Ward (pictured), Arrow McLaren's team roster underwent yet another significant overhaul in hopes of finally transforming the program into a true title contender. Provided By IndyCar Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) talks with a fan Saturday, May 11, 2024, during practice for the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bob Goshert/For IndyStar Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) reacts after finishing second Sunday, May 26, 2024, in the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar IndyCar Series driver Pato O'Ward speaks with IndyStar during an interview Monday, April 7, 2025, at his home in Indianapolis. Christine Tannous/IndyStar IndyCar Series driver Pato O'Ward stands in his basement in front of a shelf displaying his different trophies and suits Monday, April 7, 2025, at his home in Indianapolis. Christine Tannous/IndyStar From left; Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) of Mexico sprays champagne toward Team Penske driver Will Power (12) of Australia on Saturday, May 10, 2025, after the 2025 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Grace Smith/IndyStar Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) signs autographs for fans on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, during practice for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) sits down into his car Thursday, May 15, 2025, during practice for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) talks with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Graham Rahal (15) on Saturday, May 17, 2025, during qualifying for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Grace Hollars/IndyStar Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) poses for a photograph Monday, May 19, 2025, ahead of practice for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Edwin Locke/For IndyStar Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward (5) sits in his pit box Monday, May 19, 2025, during a practice for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar, Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK Via Imagn Images IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward competes in a relay race during a visit to Westlake Elementary School for Gallagher Community Day on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Indianapolis. Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar, Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK Via Imagn Images
15-05-2025
- Automotive
Tony Kanaan gets back on track at Indianapolis, perhaps for the final time in storied career
INDIANAPOLIS -- It took Tony Kanaan a dozen tries to win the Indianapolis 500, and, much later, four years to accept it was time to retire and find something else to do outside a racecar. His 2023 start in the Indy 500 was supposed to be the last of his career and perhaps will ultimately go down as his final appearance in 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.' But that final 500 led to a full-time job with Arrow McLaren Racing, where in under two years Kanaan has been promoted to team principal and the man in charge of making the decisions while McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown focuses on Formula 1. And, in a worst case weather scenario May 25, Kanaan might just find himself back in the field of 33 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After two days of rain delays, Kanaan on Thursday completed the veteran refresher course required for him to be the emergency replacement driver for Kyle Larson should Larson have to leave Indianapolis early to make it back to North Carolina for the the Coca-Cola 600. A long rain delay in Indy last year ruined Larson's attempt to complete motorsports 1,100-mile 'Double' and he never turned a lap in Charlotte. NASCAR made clear to Larson and Hendrick Motorsports that the Coca-Cola 600 must be his priority or it will cost him dearly in the Cup Series championship race. Although Kanaan said the refresher course rekindled his passion for Indianapolis, he would prefer not to replace Larson and race again at age 50. He'd have to start last if Larson leaves Indianapolis before the race begins. 'My retirement, I think my biggest fear was how much I was going to miss this,' Kanaan said. 'But not sure I want to start 33rd and try to pass everybody and suffer for 2 1/2 hours. I did go out on my own terms and I don't have the need to go back and run this race again.' Kanaan will be on Larson's timing stand during the race and cannot replace him in the car once the race begins. His acceptance of being a retired racer comes from the massive responsibility he's been given by Brown. With Brown based in England, Kanaan is the day-to-day boss at Arrow McLaren and thriving in the new role. 'The team loves him, I haven't had that since I started the IndyCar team. He leads by example. He's a workaholic. He's motivated, and that rubs off on people,' Brown told The Associated Press. "None of that surprises me. What did surprise me about TK is the dude can talk and listen at the same time. He takes a lot of advice, which is a bit unusual. He talks to our board members all the time — probably more than me — and he knows what he doesn't know and doesn't want to make mistakes, he's decisive, and he ain't scared. 'If I tell him to do something — and it's something unpleasant — Tony's like 'OK, I'll do it.' Then 10 minutes later he calls me and tells me its done.' Kanaan doesn't look at his new job as the guy tasked with doing Brown's dirty work — and there was a lot of it last year as the IndyCar team had a slew of driver hiring and firings. He said he understands the difficult business side of motorsports and noted Michael Andretti fired him in 2010 despite an existing contract over a loss of sponsorship. It was then he truly understood the brutal nature of the sport and has carried it with him into his role as leader at Arrow McLaren. 'I think the way I want to run the team, Zak and I think the same. It's not that he doesn't want to do it, it's that I'm in charge and I should do it,' Kanaan said. "If he's going to do everything for me, why am I here? When you're being honest, good or bad, it's going to be uncomfortable. 'I had to do a few things these with people that were my friends,' he continued. 'It's not about that. We run a company now. It's also my reputation and how I want this team to be perceived to be successful. If people are not able to separate the friendship to the professional, then too bad. I think it's just a choice that I made. I think I'm a fair person. I think I try to run the team as fair as I can. If you're lacking, I will tell you. Or if you're doing good, I'll tell you. I will never forget, Zak told me one day, 'You don't need a title. If 10 people walk in the room, they should be able to pick who the boss is.'' Arrow McLaren fields three full-time entries for Pato O'Ward, Christian Lundgaard and Nolan Siegel, and a fourth car at Indy for Larson. O'Ward has embraced the feedback he receives from his new boss because Kanaan "still thinks he's a racing driver. 'I think it drives everybody forward. Obviously, always has a good spirit, lots of energy,' O'Ward said. 'I always like to hear the negative feedback more, I would say, than the positive because I feel like the positive, it's always very dependent on just results. But I feel like behind the results, there's a lot of things that happen, and you always learn more from the things that you're doing maybe not optimal. I always welcome it.'
Bloomberg
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
The Deal: Zak Brown (Podcasts)
In this episode of The Deal, Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly talk about McLaren Racing's success at the Miami Grand Prix, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finishing first and second on the podium. Then, they speak with Zak Brown about how McLaren Racing came back from the brink of bankruptcy to be a winning team. Brown tells the hosts how he and his drivers deal with media scrutiny, why Netflix and Brad Pitt are crucial to Formula One's growth, and he turns the tables for a lightning round of questions for A-Rod. You can also watch this interview on the Bloomberg Podcasts YouTube page.
