As Christian Lundgaard enters his remaining weekend driving for Arrow McLaren, there seems to be no love misplaced between Lundgaard and teammate Pato O’Ward. Arrow McLaren is letting go of Lundgaard in favor of Scott Dixon and Felix Rosenqvist, two drivers the workforce feels are nearer to its objective of profitable the Indianapolis 500 – which Dixon and Rosenqvist have each executed as soon as.
Lundgaard feels a few of his oval struggles with Arrow McLaren prior to now two seasons have come because of the workforce being inflexible in its setup, which is catered towards O’Ward. O’Ward is thought for preferring a looser setup than most IndyCar drivers, which Lundgaard hasn’t loved.
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“Nicely for starters, have teammates that want the identical factor,” Lundgaard advised Fox broadcaster Will Buxton on Velocity with Harvick and Buxton after Buxton requested what it will take to enhance his oval performances. “I imply, private opinion, Scott and Felix are going to battle with Pato in that regard. Pato runs one thing so totally different.”
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Christian Lundgaard finishes third in an IndyCar race at Milwaukee in August 2026.
(IndyCar picture)
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Christian Lundgaard finishes third in an IndyCar race at Milwaukee in August 2026.
(IndyCar picture)
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Christian Lundgaard at Snap-On Makers and Fixers 250 on the Milwaukee Mile
(Joe Skibinski/IndyCar)
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Christian Lundgaard (7) is adopted by Scott Dixon (9) through the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026 on the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin.
(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
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Christian Lundgaard of Arrow McLaren (7) and Josef Newgarden of Staff Penske (2) enter the pit highway because the race stops for a rain delay through the NTT IndyCar Sequence Snap-on Makers and Fixers 250 on the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin on Aug. 29, 2026.
(Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
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WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 22: Christian Lundgaard, driver of the #7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet appears on throughout apply for the NTT INDYCAR Sequence Freedom 250 on August 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photograph by Chris Graythen/Getty Photos)
(Chris Graythen, Getty Photos)
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WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 23: (L-R) Christian Lundgaard, driver of the #7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, second place, Will Energy, driver of the #26 TWG AI Andretti World Honda, third place, and Kyle Kirkwood, driver of the #27 Sam’s Membership Andretti World Honda, race winner, rejoice on the rostrum after the NTT INDYCAR Sequence race on August 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump established the Freedom 250 Grand Prix weekend as a part of the yearlong celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. (Photograph by Finn Gomez/Getty Photos)
(Finn Gomez, Getty Photos)
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Christian Lundgaard of Arrow McLaren (7) waits to get again onto the observe throughout NTT IndyCar Sequence testing Wednesday, July 8, 2026, on the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin.
(Dave Kallmann /Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
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AVONDALE, ARIZONA – MARCH 06: Christian Lundgaard, driver of the #7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, prepares to drive previous to the NTT INDYCAR Sequence Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway on March 06, 2026 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photograph by Meg Oliphant/Getty Photos)
(Meg Oliphant, Getty Photos)
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AVONDALE, ARIZONA – MARCH 06: Christian Lundgaard, driver of the #7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, prepares to drive previous to the NTT INDYCAR Sequence Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway on March 06, 2026 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photograph by Meg Oliphant/Getty Photos)
(Meg Oliphant, Getty Photos)
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Christian Lundgaard (7) celebrates his victory along with his workforce following the XPEL Grand Prix at Highway America, Sunday, June 21, 2026, at Elkhart Lake, Wis.
(Gary C. Klein/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin, Gary C. Klein/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK through Imagn Photos)
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Christian Lundgaard on the IndyCar Sequence race at Highway America in 2026.
(IndyCar picture)
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Christian Lundgaard raises his fist in victory following the XPEL Grand Prix at Highway America, Sunday, June 21, 2026, at Elkhart Lake, Wis.
(Gary C. Klein/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)
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Christian Lundgaard (7) raises his arms in victory following the XPEL Grand Prix at Highway America, Sunday, June 21, 2026, at Elkhart Lake, Wis.
(Gary C. Klein/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)
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Christian Lundgaard (7) corners at flip 5 through the XPEL Grand Prix at Highway America, Sunday, June 21, 2026, at Elkhart Lake, Wis.
(Gary C. Klein/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)
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Christian Lundgaard (7) celebrates his victory along with his workforce following the XPEL Grand Prix at Highway America, Sunday, June 21, 2026, at Elkhart Lake, Wis.
(Gary C. Klein/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)
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Christian Lundgaard celebrates with Arrow McLaren teammates after profitable the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix on Sunday, June 21, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Gary C. Klein / USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)
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Christian Lundgaard will get able to get into his automobile on qualifying day on the NTT IndyCar Sequence XPEL Grand Prix, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Highway America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
(Chris Jones / Supplied by Penske Leisure)
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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Christian Lundgaard (45) holds up his third place trophy, Saturday, Might 11, 2024, after the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Jacob Musselman/ For Indystar)
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Christian Lundgaard’s crew watches the primary group get out for his or her session earlier than qualifying at The Thermal Membership IndyCar Grand Prix in Thermal, Calif., Saturday, March 22, 2025.
(Andy Abeyta/The Desert Solar)
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Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard has began robust at his new IndyCar dwelling with a pair of podiums in his first three race begins, however a pivotal Month of Might awaits.
(Supplied by IndyCar)
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Christian Lundgaard of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing accelerates out of flip 5 throughout day certainly one of NTT IndyCar Sequence open testing at The Thermal Membership in Thermal, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023.
(Andy Abeyta/The Desert Solar)
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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Christian Lundgaard (45) stands in his pit field Friday, Might 17, 2024, throughout Quick Friday forward of the 108th working of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar)
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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Christian Lundgaard (30) walks pit lane Friday, Might 20, 2022, throughout Quick Friday in preparation for the 106th working of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar)
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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Christian Lundgaard (45) is interviewed Saturday, Might 13, 2023, after ending fourth within the GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Bob Goshert/For IndyStar)
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Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard (7) celebrates Saturday, Might 9, 2026, after profitable the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard (7) poses for a photograph Saturday, Might 9, 2026, after profitable the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Christian Lundgaard (45) appears out on the observe from his pit field Sunday, Might 21, 2023, earlier than the Final Likelihood Qualifying session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in preparation for the 107th working of the Indianapolis 500.
(Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar)
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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Christian Lundgaard (45) places on his helmet Thursday, Might 18, 2023, through the third day of apply for the 107th working of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
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Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard (7) prepares to climb into his automobile on Tuesday, Might 13, 2025, throughout apply for the 109th working of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar)
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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Christian Lundgaard (30) straps on his helmet Friday, Might 13, 2022, previous to the primary apply session for the GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar)
After O’Ward received each of IndyCar’s races on Milwaukee Mile’s brief oval on Aug. 30 – the place Lundgaard positioned third and sixth – he disagreed with Lundgaard’s evaluation in an interview with ESPN Deportes.
When translating Spanish to English through Microsoft Copilot, O’Ward mentioned, “Everybody in IndyCar is form of on their very own little island. I do know Christian likes to say that every thing is ready up for me, and he likes to say that the automobile solely goes within the path I ask for. However what he says concerning the oval program being constructed solely round what I need is full (expletive). As we wish to say in English, ‘He is filled with (expletive).’ It is not true.
“If I bear in mind accurately, at a lot of the tracks we’re normally on reverse sides in relation to setup. He develops his automobile and I develop mine. Actually, at a number of races, if certainly one of us is struggling rather a lot, we change to the opposite man’s setup and it finally ends up working higher.”
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Coming into the Grand Prix of Monterey, the ultimate race of the IndyCar season, Alex Palou has clinched his fourth straight championship whereas Lundgaard is second within the standings and O’Ward is fourth. Solely 4 factors separate the 2 Arrow McLaren drivers, with Kyle Kirkwood (two factors behind Lundgaard and two factors forward of O’Ward) in third.
Lundgaard’s third-place end on the Milwaukee Mile was the primary podium on an oval in his IndyCar profession, which began with one race in 2021 earlier than he turned a full-time driver for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2022. Arrow McLaren workforce principal Tony Kanaan beforehand acknowledged, “All of us do not assume Christian is there but” in regard to ovals. After O’Ward’s first win on the Milwaukee Mile, Kanaan defended his determination.
“The query was not if he might win on the oval; the query was when,” Kanaan mentioned. “For my part, after I made the choice, I wasn’t certain. I believe if that was what took him to come back up and produce himself to the subsequent degree, clearly we did not hand over on him, ‘trigger look what he is doing proper now. Hey, life is filled with powerful choices on each ends. If that truly is what he wanted, we will give him a hell of a combat subsequent yr, and likewise. The game goes to be higher. The followers are going to observe it.”
Lundgaard feels that anybody who locations second to Palou, who has dominated IndyCar within the 2020s, should not be changed. Regardless of that, Arrow McLaren is shifting on from the 25-year-old after this weekend.
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“Should you may be the second-best driver, I needn’t inform the media what I take into consideration the choice for them to not proceed with me,” Lundgaard advised Buxton. “But when they’re eliminating the motive force who’s ending second within the championship, there should be a unique plan that I do not assume any of us sees.”
Lundgaard will look to carry onto second place at Laguna Seca, the place he completed second to Palou final season.
