Tony Kanaan Named Special Advisor At Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team

Tony Kanaan’s career as an IndyCar Series driver may have concluded after his 16^th-place finish in the 107^th Indianapolis 500 on May 28, but his IndyCar career will continue.

Kanaan, the 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner and 2004 NTT IndyCar Series champion, will remain with Arrow McLaren as special advisor.

His new role was announced Thursday, June 29 at 11 a.m. Eastern Time.

“I’m thrilled to have Tony join Arrow McLaren and our McLaren Racing familyin a more formalized capacity following his brilliant IndyCar career,” McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said. “He’s a racer, and he knows how to win. Havinghim around our team and mentoring our drivers can only make us strongercontenders in the NTT IndyCar championship.”

Earlier this year, Tony Kanaan announced the final IndyCar Series race of his career would come in the 107^th Indianapolis 500 for Arrow McLaren.

Kanaan started ninth and finished 16th in his final Indy 500 on May 28 and said goodbye to the fans.

Kanaan is the 2004 IndyCar champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner. He brings a wealth of championship experience to the team to provide guidance and strategy for on-track and off-track advancement. In this new formalized role, Tonywill travel with the team to races and tests, serving as a driver mentor while alsoworking with the team’s commercial partnerships and business development.

“I had said that I wasn’t going to leave racing or the NTT IndyCar Series, so I’m very excited to join the Arrow McLaren team in this role,” Kanaan said of his new role. “Zak Brown (Arrow McLaren CEO) and Gavin Ward (Arrow McLaren Racing Director) have a great vision for where this team is headed and what we can accomplish, so I look forward to helping us get there and making the team and the series even better. This team works hard and has a lot of fun.

“That’s what racing is about, and it’s why I love being part of the team.”

With 17 career IndyCar race wins, Kanaan brings winning experience and a championship mentality an enthusiasm and personality that matches the teamenvironment at Arrow McLaren. The driver from Brazil has unmatched success insponsorship development and relationships in motorsport, which will help bridge the team’s commercial and competitive ambitions. In addition to his IndyCarresponsibilities, Kanaan will also be involved in McLaren Racing’s heritage program.

“Tony’s distinct skillset will help the team connect how we go racing to how wecan make the most of our partnerships,” Ward said. “As a championship driver, he does both incredibly well – delivering on track and locking in committedpartnerships. He brings a champion mindset to what we’re doing – and that’s racing to win championships while having fun doing it. Having him on the team as a multifaceted resource in his advisor role is a big win for Arrow McLaren.”

Kanaan joined Arrow McLaren in November 2022 to race his final Indy 500 aspart of the team’s four-car lineup this past May. Since November, he has been an integral part of the team, traveling with Arrow McLaren to most of the racesahead of the Indy 500.

McLaren Racing was founded by racing driver Bruce McLaren 60 years ago in 1963. The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966. McLaren has since won20 Formula 1 world championships, 183 Formula 1 grands prix, the Indianapolis500 three times, and the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt.

McLaren Racing competes across five racing series. In 2023, the team willcompete in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship with McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the NTT IndyCar Series with Arrow McLarendrivers Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi, the ABB FIAFormula E World Championship with NEOM McLaren Formula E Team driversRené Rast and Jake Hughes, and the Extreme E Championship with NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team drivers Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust. The teamalso competes in the F1 Esports Pro Championship as McLaren Shadow, having won the 2022 Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships.