Zak Brown has just released an extremely ambitious statement about Arrow McLaren’s journey to conquer the top of IndyCar, declaring that significant progress has been made and the goal is clear: to dominate the championship.

Not stopping there, he also issued a bold challenge directly to the “boogeyman” Chip Ganassi Racing, promising a high-stakes battle for the championship in the 2026 season.

In a recent open letter and series of public comments, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown laid out an unmistakably confident vision for Arrow McLaren’s future in the NTT IndyCar Series.

Fresh off what the team describes as its strongest campaign to date in 2025—highlighted by two race wins, three pole positions, and an impressive 12 podium finishes—Brown emphasized that the organization has taken “important steps forward both on the track and behind the scenes.” Central to this progress is the team’s relocation to a state-of-the-art, 86,000-square-foot headquarters in Zionsville, Indiana, formerly occupied by Andretti Global.

The expanded facility, which the team officially moved into in early January 2026, represents a major upgrade from their previous 33,000-square-foot space.

This investment allows for in-house manufacturing capabilities, reduced dependency on external suppliers, and parity with top competitors like Chip Ganassi Racing, Team Penske, and Andretti Global in terms of infrastructure.

Brown’s statement underscores a clear trajectory: “We’re getting closer to our ultimate goal: winning the Indy 500 and securing the Championship.

The foundation is strong, and we’re heading into the 2026 season with real optimism.” This ambition builds on the momentum from 2025, where drivers Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard each secured six podiums, marking the team’s most successful single-season haul.

O’Ward, a perennial contender who has stood on the podium three times at the Indianapolis 500, finished second in the championship standings last year, while Lundgaard impressed in his first full season with the team by claiming fifth overall. The addition of young talent Nolan Siegel in the No.

6 car provides depth, though his performance remains a point of scrutiny after a challenging rookie full-time campaign.

The team’s preparations extend beyond facilities. Arrow McLaren has bolstered its commercial landscape with key partnerships announced ahead of 2026, including Deloitte for performance optimization and transformation initiatives, and Republic Airways as the Official Air Carrier.

These deals reflect McLaren’s strategy to attract global brands traditionally focused on Formula 1, signaling that IndyCar is increasingly viewed as a viable investment. Renewals with longtime partners like Mission Foods and onsemi further solidify the financial backbone needed to sustain high-level competition.

For the upcoming season, the driver lineup remains stable for the full-time entries: O’Ward in the No. 5, Lundgaard in the No. 7, and Siegel in the No. 6. This continuity allows the team to build on chemistry developed over the past year.

At the Indianapolis 500, Arrow McLaren will field a fourth car driven by 2014 Indy 500 winner and 2012 series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay in the No. 31 Chevrolet.

Hunter-Reay’s experience—395 career starts, 18 victories, and deep knowledge of the Brickyard—adds veteran firepower to the Month of May push, joining O’Ward as another proven oval and 500 specialist.

The 2026 NTT IndyCar Series schedule promises intensity from the outset, kicking off with three consecutive race weekends in March: St. Petersburg on March 1, the return to Phoenix Raceway on March 7 for the first time since 2018, and a new street race in Arlington, Texas, on March 15.

The calendar features 17 races, balancing street courses, ovals, and road courses, with highlights including a Milwaukee Mile doubleheader and a season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. This packed early schedule tests teams’ consistency and preparation, areas where Arrow McLaren aims to excel.

At the heart of Brown’s message lies a direct challenge to Chip Ganassi Racing, long the dominant force in IndyCar.

Often referred to in paddock circles as the series’ “boogeyman” due to its sustained excellence—winning four of the last five championships, including the past three with Alex Palou—Ganassi has set an extraordinarily high bar.

Palou’s consistent front-running form has made CGR the team to beat, with veterans like Scott Dixon adding depth and experience. Brown, however, positions Arrow McLaren as ready to disrupt this hegemony.

Drawing parallels to McLaren’s resurgence in Formula 1—where the team has climbed to contend for titles—Brown believes the same principles of investment, talent development, and operational excellence can translate to IndyCar dominance.

The rivalry carries extra edge given historical context. Past tensions, including the high-profile 2022 contract dispute involving Palou’s attempted move from Ganassi to Arrow McLaren (which led to legal battles still echoing into 2026), add fuel to the fire.

Brown has previously stated that Arrow McLaren has “a lot of similarities” to his F1 operation and is capable of challenging Penske and Ganassi for future titles, stressing the need for “more consistency” to break the duopoly that has claimed the last 11 championships.

As the 2026 season approaches, expectations are sky-high for Arrow McLaren. Brown’s declaration is more than motivational rhetoric; it reflects tangible progress in infrastructure, partnerships, driver stability, and on-track results.

The team enters the year not as an upstart but as a legitimate threat, armed with optimism and a clear mandate to end Ganassi’s reign at the top.

Whether they can convert ambition into silverware remains the central storyline, but one thing is certain: the battle for the championship will be fierce, and Arrow McLaren is positioning itself squarely in the fight.