In a major off-season blockbuster move for McLaren Racing, NTT Data will be joining forces with Arrow McLaren SP on a multiyear basis that will include serving as a key primary sponsor for Felix Rosenqvist for the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season. The team was also proud to reveal that the 2013 Indianapolis 500 champion Tony Kanaan will be piloting a fourth AMSP entry sponsored by NTT Data for the 107th running of the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that will occur on May 28, 2023.
The move comes after months of speculation towards AMSP’s fourth competitor choice for the 2023 Indy 500 and as the team prepares to field three full-time entries for the upcoming IndyCar season for its drivers Rosenqvist, Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi, who announced his move to the team in June following a seven-year run with Andretti Autosport.
As part of the multiyear deal, NTT Data will serve as the Official IT Services Partner for AMSP’s operations while serving as an associate sponsor for O’Ward and Rossi. The global technology and business solutions provider was previously the Official IT Services Partner for Chip Ganassi Racing and was a key partner for the organization since 2013. It has also been serving as a title sponsor for the IndyCar Series since 2019.
“NTT DATA joining our great group of partners is a huge boost for Arrow McLaren SP,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said. “I’m thrilled they will be representing our No. 6 car as a Lead Partner and a major sponsor for our fourth entry in the Indy 500, piloted by Tony Kanaan. Tony proved last year he can compete with the best of them, and I’m excited to see him put on a show with our team next May.”
“We welcome the opportunity to partner with McLaren, a long-term and valued client, and to demonstrate how sponsorships simultaneously build awareness and enhance business-to-business relationships,” Bob Pryor, CEO of NTT Data Services, added. “NTT DATA is also proud of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ growth with a strong international stable of drivers, great leadership from Penske Entertainment, and a passionate fan base attracted to the highly competitive product – where any driver can win in any weekend.”
For Kanaan, the 2023 Indy 500 is set to mark his 22nd consecutive appearance competing in one of the most prestigious motorsport events across the world and his first competing under the McLaren banner. He spent the previous two seasons as a part-time competitor for Chip Ganassi Racing, where he finished 10th during the 2021 Indy 500 before notching a strong third-place effort during this past season’s event. He claimed his first and lone Indy 500 victory to date in 2013, which occurred after 12 previous attempts.
Through a total of 388 career starts in IndyCar competition, Kanaan has achieved one championship (2004), 17 victories, 13 poles, 79 podiums and 4,077 laps led.
“I feel extremely lucky to get another shot racing in the Indianapolis 500,” Kanaan said. “I’m excited to work with Pato, Felix and Alexander and race with the Arrow McLaren SP team. My biggest battle in last year’s race was against these three drivers so working with them and driving with them will be exciting for all of us.”
In addition to Kanaan’s Indy 500 entry, NTT Data will be sponsoring Rosenqvist’s No. 6 Dallara-Chevrolet for 10 IndyCar events in 2023, which will commence at the Streets of St. Petersburg for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 5 and conclude at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on September 10. The new partnership deal with AMSP reunites NTT Data with Rosenqvist, who was previously sponsored by the IT solutions provider when he competed for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2019 and 2020. It also comes nearly two months after Rosenqvist was announced to remain with the organization for the upcoming season.
The 30-year-old Rosenqvist from Värnamo, Sweden, is coming off a strong 2022 season with AMSP, where he achieved a single podium result at the Exhibition Place in Toronto, Canada, in July along with nine additional top-10 results throughout the 17-race schedule before finishing in eighth place in the final driver’s standings, one spot behind teammate O’Ward.
“I look forward to representing NTT DATA once again,” Rosenqvist said. “They’re a great partner and are committed to the series. I welcome them to the McLaren Racing family and am ready to start the season off in St. Petersburg, racing the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. It will also be great to race alongside Tony and learn from him as we prepare for the Indy 500.”
The new partnership between NTT Data and Arrow McLaren SP is set to commence at the Streets of St. Petersburg for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 5, which will also commence the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season. The event’s coverage is scheduled to occur at noon ET on NBC.
