For the first time in three years, Juan Pablo Montoya will return to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The two-time race winner will return to the Indianapolis 500 driving a third Dallara-Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren SP.
Montoya who the race in 2015 with Team Penske and 2000 with Chip Ganassi Racing and will team with Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist for the 105th running of the historic race, which is currently scheduled for May 30 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
He will be teamed with veteran engineer Craig Hampson for the effort.
“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.”
Montoya has five appearances in the race with two wins, a fifth and a sixth place on his resume.
“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 will also compete in the Rolex 24 next month at Daytona International Speedway, in addition to the remaining IMSA endurance races, in an overall schedule that also includes the World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In addition to his Indianapolis 500 success, Montoya claimed the 1999 CART championship and drove for McLaren in Formula 1 from 2005-06, where he gained three wins before embarking on a seven-year NASCAR Cup Series career with Ganassi.
“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.”
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