Another race weekend, another disappointing result for Nolan Siegel. This time, he didn't even make it one lap before crashing, and he now has just two finishes in the last six races, both outside the top 15.
He was understandably dejected, and you really do hate it for the 20-year-old. But McLaren need to start asking some serious questions.
Felix Rosenqvist. Alexander Rossi. David Malukas. Callum Ilott. Theo Pourchare. All moves considered, those are the drivers McLaren kicked to the curb to sign Siegel in the middle of the 2024 season (and for 2025). Saying it hasn't paid off would be an understatement.
He has three top 10 finishes in 25 starts with nothing higher than seventh, while teammates Pato O'Ward and Christian Lundgaard, the latter even newer to the team than Siegel, are both inside the top four in the championship standings.
The addition of former Team Penske executive Kyle Moyer was thought to be able to provide a spark for Siegel and the No. 6 team, but we're still waiting. And given McLaren's lack of patience over the years, not just in IndyCar but in Formula 1, with literally anybody not named Siegel (so far), I'm not so sure they are willing to wait much longer.
If not, here are the three obvious names you better believe Zak Brown has his eyes on.
Rinus VeeKay
Among drivers not named Will Power, Rinus VeeKay has to be considered the most appealing big-name free agent on the market amid a resurgent season with Dale Coyne Racing.
I said last year Dale Coyne Racing's problem was the drivers, not the cars, and VeeKay has proven that with an incredible first season behind the wheel of the No. 18 Honda. His runner-up finish in Toronto kept Coyne's underrated streak – a podium finish in every year they've run a full-time driver since 2012 – alive after a season in which they didn't score a single top 12 finish with part-timers.
Christian Rasmussen
Knowing how much Zak Brown cares about drivers' contracts with other teams (he doesn't), it wouldn't surprise me if he's already tried to contact Christian Rasmussen following his thrilling maiden victory at the Milwaukee Mile ahead of Alex Palou. Rasmussen is said to be on a "multi-year contract" with Ed Carpenter Racing, but that basically means nothing in IndyCar.
Christian Lundgaard had been the most recent first-time race winner prior to Rasmussen, and after changing teams last offseason, he now finds himself with McLaren and in fourth place in the championship standings. He is basically doing what was expected of Siegel in year two, but in year one.
Louis Foster
Louis Foster needs to get out of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing as fast as possible. I'm sorry, but this team is by far the worst performing team, from top to bottom, of 2025, and their trajectory is not exactly promising, even with the odd bright spot here and there.
Additionally, we have seen the success Lundgaard has had in only his first year with McLaren after making the wise decision to jump ship. Some drivers can't handle moves to stronger teams, but Lundgaard is showing it's possible with the papaya squad.
Foster may not have had the level of success Lundgaard had with Rahal, but after watching Rasmussen, the driver who preceded him as Indy NXT champion, become the first first-time winner since Lundgaard in 2023, and with a team that hadn't won an oval race since 2016, you've got to believe he would jump at the opportunity to run for a competitive team.