Arrow McLaren SP has signed American driver Alexander Rossi to a multiyear deal to drive for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES team, starting in 2023.
Rossi, from Nevada City, California, has secured seven wins, six poles and 25 podium finishes with Andretti Autosport since arriving in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2016. His most notable win came as a rookie when he won the historic 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in dramatic fashion in 2016, coasting across the finish line on fumes.
“First, I want to thank everyone at Andretti Autosport for an incredible seven years,” Rossi said. “It has been a great ride with an awesome team, and it has been an honor to race for the Andretti name and for Michael for so long.
“The time has come for a new challenge, with a team that is growing in the sport. I look forward to contributing to the development of Arrow McLaren SP and helping them reach the top. I see the commitment this team has to each other and to me, and I’m looking forward to getting started. It’s time for me to race for another one of motorsport’s biggest names: McLaren.”
California native Rossi also made five starts in Formula One, raced the famed Bathurst 1000 in Australia in 2019, won the Baja 1000 in 2021 and took an overall win at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2021.
“As we look forward to 2023, we are looking for a driver that will be a great fit and bring experience to the team,” AMSP President Taylor Kiel said. “Alex is a driver who knows what it takes to succeed in this sport and will strengthen our talented driver lineup. He shares the same winning mindset that I see every day across Arrow McLaren SP, and I think we will find a lot of success together in the years to come.”
Rossi, 30, finished second in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in 2018 and third in 2019.
Arrow McLaren SP last month also announced the re-signing of driver Pato O’Ward to a new contract through the end of the 2025 season.
“Alex is a proven race winner and an Indianapolis 500 champion, who shares our desire to win,” McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said. “It is essential that we put the right talent in place, both inside and outside the car, so we can consistently compete for championships and race wins as a team. He is someone we have had our eye on for some time, and we’re excited to see what he’ll do as a part of Arrow McLaren SP.”