Christian Lundgaard has been confirmed as the replacement for Alexander Rossi next year in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevy. The change with Rossi comes after months of unsuccessful attempts to negotiate an extension, leading to an amicable decision to split at the end of the season.
The move completes the team’s recent efforts to revamp its NTT IndyCar Series lineup and presents the young Dane with a chance to vie for greater success in one of IndyCar’s top four teams.
It also marks the end of Rossi’s two-year run for Arrow McLaren. He joined from Andretti Global in 2023 and has generated two podiums in the No. 7 entry. Rossi currently holds seventh in the drivers’ championship, one position behind teammate Pato O’Ward.
With the 22-year-old Lundgaard headed over from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Arrow McLaren’s roster in 2025 will become the youngest in IndyCar with O’Ward (25), Lundgaard (who turns 23 later this month), and Nolan Siegel (who turns 20 in November).
For Lundgaard, who sits 11th in the standings with RLL, the chance to join a front-running team is what he’s been pursuing through his agent for more than a year.
Although RLL made strides in moving forward during his tenure, helping Lundgaard to one win, two poles, and three podiums since joining the team full-time in 2022, it hasn’t been able to give him the opportunity to routinely fight for victories, leading to his exploration of the market. For Arrow McLaren, the acquisition of Lundgaard comes at a time where it needs to improve its team-wide performances.
With the disqualification of Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden in March at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, Arrow McLaren was awarded with a win for O’Ward, who was elevated from second to first, but the team has been stuck in an extended dry spell when it comes to seeing its drivers roll into victory lane.
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The last occurrence happened nearly two years ago—with O’Ward at Iowa on July 24, 2022—which is understood to be a motivating factor in reconfiguring the team’s lineup and try to regain its race-winning form with more than one entry. Since he joined the team in 2020, only O’Ward has produced victories for Arrow McLaren, and with Lundgaard in the frame, the expectation is for the No. 7 Chevy to join O’Ward’s No. 5 Chevy in the win column.
To date, with drivers ranging from Mikhail Aleshin, James Jakes, Marcus Ericsson, Oliver Askew, Felix Rosenqvist, and Rossi, the No. 7 car has finished as high as second on multiple occasions but has not won since it debuted in 2014.
For Rossi, leaving Arrow McLaren comes with challenges to land at a team that would offer the same level of competitiveness upon his arrival. With no known vacancies at Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing, or his former Andretti outfit, the options for the 32-year-old American could be limited to midfield teams that aspire to live among the Penskes, Ganassis, Andrettis, and McLarens on an annual basis.
RLL would be an obvious option, as would Meyer Shank Racing, which is having its best season since it joined the series. Ed Carpenter Racing, A.J. Foyt Racing, and Dale Coyne Racing, along with the incoming PREMA Racing team, could also welcome the 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner.
RLL would also have a high-quality seat to fill and no lack of interesting candidates to consider, starting with current employee and reserve driver Juri Vips, free agent Rinus VeeKay, former Arrow McLaren drivers Theo Pourchaire and Callum Ilott, and current MSR stand-in David Malukas.
RACER understands multiple teams have expressed interest in Rossi, who will speak with the media on Wednesday.
Lundgaard’s soon-to-be former team released a statement after Arrow McLaren confirmed the news.
“Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is looking forward to closing out our working relationship with Christian Lundgaard as successfully as possible and thank him for his past efforts on behalf of the team,” it wrote. “We are proud to have brought him into the NTT IndyCar Series and wish him well in the future.”