Gavin Ward, Arrow McLaren’s team principal, says the team will take the result from Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, where all three of their drivers ended the 100-lap chaotic race inside the top ten, not only that, but with Alexander Rossi in the No.7 VELO Chevrolet they were the highest-placed Chevrolet-powered team in fifth place.
“In a calamitous race like that, all three cars in the top ten, top Team Chevy finisher, I think that’s a decent day for us. We’ll never be fully satisfied, but we’ll take that and move onto the next one.”
It was a great race for Alexander Rossi who started the race from 16th place and made up 11 places to come home in fifth place and speaking following the race he said:
“It’s been a really hard weekend, so there’s a lot of relief from that one because it’s been really hard so far. The team did an amazing job with the strategy. We made some strong changes overnight and were able to weather everything. I think we had good pace as well as good strategy. I’m just thankful for being able to bounce back and everyone sticking with it this weekend.”
Pato O’Ward in the No.5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet struggled in qualifying, starting the race from 12th place and coming home in seventh avoiding all of the carnage around him speaking following the action, he said:
“Survival was the name of the game today. We had to nurse the car home ever since Lap 1 where we had a lot of damage. Considering the fact that we were a bit handcuffed in terms of performance, I think it was a really strong day for us and the Arrow McLaren Chevrolet team. I have to say I’m pretty happy with seventh place.”
Having missed last weekend’s 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge last weekend, French driver Theo Pourchaire was back in the cockpit of the No.6 onsemi Chevrolet. Starting the race from seventh place he stayed out of trouble during the event on the streets of downtown Detroit to finish the race in tenth place and speaking following the action he said:
“Today was the first top-10 finish in my NTT INDYCAR SERIES career. It’s not a bad result, but I am frustrated because I think I could have competed for a win or a podium. I was right there on pace, or even quicker, than the No. 9 through the first part of the race. Then, we were not lucky with the strategy and I made a mistake on a restart. I am sure that we will bounce back in Road America. The first podium and the first win is close to me and the No. 6 onsemi Arrow McLaren Chevrolet crew. We will do an even better job next week.”
Next up for Arrow McLaren and the rest of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the XPEL Grand Prix of Road America.