INDYCAR

Juan Pablo Montoya raced for McLaren in this year's 500 Miles

McLaren will have Juan Pablo Montoya again for the Indianapolis 500. The British team announced that the Colombian, currently 46 years old, will compete aboard the Dallara-Chevrolet #6 in the main event on the world motorsport calendar, on May 29. It will be the second participation of the South American as a McLaren driver. In addition, on the weekend of May 13, the veteran will also represent the team at the Indianapolis GP.

Montoya will line up the team's third car and complete the trio alongside starters Pato O'Ward and Felix Rosenqvist. It will be Juan Pablo's seventh presence in the Indy 500. The Colombian has an impressive record of two victories.

The first of these was won in 2000 by Ganassi, still at a time of split between CART and IRL. The second triumph came 15 years later, when Montoya was a Penske driver.

“I am excited to be returning to Indianapolis with McLaren and once again competing in a race that holds a special place in my heart, the Indianapolis 500,” said Montoya. "I had a great experience with the team last year and I'm looking forward to building on the progress we've made in 2021. I think we have a real chance to compete at the front of the grid and fight for the win."

In the participation he made for the team in 2021, Montoya ended the dispute in ninth place, just ahead of the Brazilian Tony Kanaan, from Ganassi, and 14.8s behind the winner, the Tupiniquim Hélio Castroneves, from Meyer Shank. The McLaren trio at the time was the same as in 2022 – O’Ward finished fourth, while Rosenqvist was only 27th.

“We are excited to have Juan Pablo [Montoya] back for another Indy 500,” said McLaren CEO Zak Brown. “Juan Pablo is an institution of motorsport, with two wins at the Indianapolis 500 and an impressive career in Formula 1, with many victories for McLaren. He brings an experience that helps our team a lot and gives our other drivers the potential to win every time he gets in the car.”

Montoya was a Formula 1 driver between 2001 and 2006, with participations by Williams – when he came third in the Drivers' Championship in 2002 and 2003 – and McLaren. There were 94 GPs disputed in the period, with seven victories and 30 podiums, in addition to 13 poles.

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