IndyCar: McLaren full-time rumors for 2020 season heat up once again

By Asher Fair | Aug 1, 2019

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 28: Fernando Alonso of Spain, driver of the #29 McLaren-Honda-Andretti Honda (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Despite McLaren previously stating that a full-time entry in IndyCar for the 2020 season was unlikely, rumors about them entering the series have begun to heat up yet again.

With just four races remaining on the 17-race 2019 IndyCar schedule and just months after McLaren all but ruled out entering IndyCar on a full-time basis next season following their embarrassing failure to qualify for this year’s Indianapolis 500 with two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso, the rumors about the matter have begun to heat up once again.

A new rumor, a specific rumor at that, recently emerged about the Woking-based team entering IndyCar next season, forming a partnership with a specific team and engine manufacturer and targeting a certain 19-year-old phenom as one of their two drivers.

Back in May, McLaren CEO Zak Brown effectively ruled out the team entering IndyCar next season. Here is what he had to say about the matter, according to RACER.

"“I think it’s highly unlikely we’ll be in IndyCar full-time next year. As enthusiastic as I am for IndyCar, given where we are in Formula 1, given what we just went through at Indy, I’d like to see us go back to Indy and get that right as a next step instead of totally jumping in. So I think it’s highly unlikely we’re in IndyCar full-time in 2020.”"

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But a lot can change in two months.

A recent rumor has emerged that McLaren are looking to form a partnership with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports to field two cars on a full-time basis in the 2020 season.

Arrow announced a partnership with the McLaren Formula 1 team back in May, and an Arrow logo appeared on Alonso’s #66 Chevrolet in his Indy 500 attempt later in the month.

To keep things from getting super complicated in a partnership between McLaren and Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, the latter would have to switch their engine manufacturer from Honda to Chevrolet, which they are not in a position to do until their current contract with the former expires at the end of the 2020 season.

Honda have no intent to provide engine support to McLaren in IndyCar or in anything for the foreseeable future after the way their three-year partnership was handled in Formula 1 from 2015 to 2017.

But manufacturers aside and focusing solely on drivers, despite previous rumors, McLaren’s full-time entry in IndyCar does not hinge on whether or not it would be Alonso who drives for the team. That said, there is a specific driver who the team would target.

That driver is Harding Steinbrenner Racing rookie Colton Herta.

Harding Steinbrenner Racing’s situation beyond the conclusion of the 2019 season is unknown, as as a result, the 19-year-old Valencia, California native is generating all kinds of interest from not only within the IndyCar paddock but from Europe as well.

After Alexander Rossi was confirmed at Andretti Autosport on a new multi-year contract agreement, Herta became the biggest puzzle piece of this Silly Season.

Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team co-owner Sam Schmidt confirmed his interest in signing Herta. Here is what he had to say about the matter, according to NBC Sports.

"“We are very interested in Colton Herta. He is a very talented, young driver.”"

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Will this rumor come to fruition for the 2020 IndyCar season, or will it end up like all of the other rumors involving McLaren coming to the series on a full-time basis have over the last few years? It could certainly be a challenge given Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports’ engine manufacturer situation with Honda, but stranger things have happened.