Two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya will make his return in 2021 to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing after a three-year absence, racing a third Dallara-Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren SP.
Montoya, who won the race with Team Penske in 2015 and Chip Ganassi Racing in ’00, will be teamed with Arrow McLaren SP drivers Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500, which is scheduled for May 30 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“I’m very excited to be joining Arrow McLaren SP for the Indianapolis 500,” Montoya said in a team release. “I have some great history with McLaren from my F1 days and I’m looking forward to making some more at next year’s Indianapolis 500.”
The Colombian has five Indy 500 starts, most recently a sixth in 2017.
“Arrow McLaren SP is thrilled to have a driver of Juan’s caliber join the team for next year’s Indianapolis 500,” Arrow McLaren SP co-owner Sam Schmidt said in a release. “His experience will elevate the entire team, including our young, talented lineup of Pato and Felix. When you think that he’s only started the Indy 500 five times but won it twice, that’s impressive.”
Montoya also will be racing in the Rolex 24 at Daytona next month (along with other IMSA endurance races) and in the World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans next year. He will be teamed at Indy with veteran engineer Craig Hampson (who worked with Fernando Alonso at the 2020 Indy 500).
He raced for McLaren in Formula One from 2005-06, scoring three victories before leaving to race full time in NASCAR. He raced the past three seasons for Acura Team Penske, winning the 2019 DPi title, and also won the 1999 CART championship.
“I’m delighted for Juan to rejoin the McLaren family and return to the Indianapolis 500 with Arrow McLaren SP,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said in a release. “He is an intensely competitive, highly versatile driver, with deep experience at the top level of motorsport and a big following. Having him with us at the 500 next year will be great for the team and IndyCar fans everywhere.”
