INDIANAPOLIS—It is hard to be an introvert among the bodacious characters of Arrow McLaren Racing.
But Felix Rosenqvist, who readily admits he “was closed as a shell” when he joined McLaren for the start of the 2021 season, is having a blast with firecracker teammate Pato O’Ward and wild-card boss Zak Brown as they rebuild the team’s brand in IndyCar after an absence of nearly four decades.
“He’s really blossomed,” O’Ward said. “By default, the environment will force you to get along and work together.”
In the three-plus seasons since Brown brought McLaren back to IndyCar on a full-time basis, Arrow McLaren is now the hottest team in the series. It has rapidly grown to three full-time cars, added Tony Kanaan for what he says will be his final Indianapolis 500, and has built a chemistry within the organization envied across the paddock….