Alexander Rossi won the Indianapolis 500 in his first year with Andretti Global. After seven seasons, their partnership slowed down, so he switched to what he believed was a stronger IndyCar team.
Arrow McLaren Racing currently ranks third among the top teams in IndyCar, making Rossi’s two-year deal seem promising. However, negotiations for a new contract hit a deadlock, leading Rossi and McLaren to announce their split at the end of the season. This news came shortly after Rossi secured his first podium of the season and only his second since joining McLaren in 2023.
Christian Lundgaard, the most sought-after free agent in IndyCar, will replace Rossi in 2025.
Now, as Rossi prepares for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend, where he sits seventh in the championship standings, he faces the challenge of finding a new team in a shrinking free-agent market.
Despite being a top candidate for available positions, Rossi must demonstrate that there are competitive seats that can keep him near the front of the pack. He mentioned no discussions with Prema Racing, an Italian team planning to field two cars next season, but believes there are still competitive opportunities available.
As we head into Mid-Ohio, only drivers from Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing have won races this year. Rossi’s teammate Pato O’Ward was moved up to the winner of the season’s first race after Josef Newgarden of Team Penske was disqualified later on.
Rossi commented to The Associated Press, “There are two teams winning every week, right? The other teams are close; they have potential, positives, negatives, but mostly they’re on a similar level. None, including McLaren, have quite reached Penske or Ganassi’s level.”
He continued, “When you consider what’s best for Alex, each team has its challenges and its strengths. You listen to their plans and decide based on what you learn, right?”
Represented by his father Pieter, Rossi believes a contract could be finalized by the end of the month. American motorsports will pause for two weeks due to the Paris Olympics later this month.
Pieter Rossi said his son had no issues at McLaren and aims to finish as the top-ranked Chevrolet driver in the championship standings. Currently, only Will Power of Penske and McLaren teammate Pato O’Ward rank ahead of Rossi among Chevrolet drivers, with Rossi being known for his expertise on ovals, where six of the final nine races of the season will take place.
“Alexander has been a great teammate, and we appreciate the two seasons we raced together,” said Arrow McLaren team principal Gavin Ward. “We owe a lot to him for where we are now. We couldn’t agree on terms, but we wish him the best. In the second half of the season, we’ll do everything to get him into the top five in the championship.”
Rossi isn’t worried. The available seats aren’t low-quality; Rahal Letterman Lanigan needs a driver for Lundgaard’s seat, and Meyer Shank Racing could change, possibly keeping David Malukas or expanding to three teams next year.
Rossi explained that negotiations are changing because of ongoing talks between IndyCar and its teams about a charter system like NASCAR’s. For instance, if a rule limits teams to three charters, Meyer Shank might want to secure one and expand.
Ganassi has five cars, the most in IndyCar, while Penske has had three cars for years. Andretti downsized to three cars this season. McLaren has three cars and had a fourth at the Indianapolis 500.
Rossi, turning 33 in September, dismissed claims of being old. “I’m not old,” he said, confident that with the right team in the future, he can prove it.
“I want to join a team where I can compete, win races, and consistently return to the level I know I can achieve.”
