Siegel Signed to Pilot Arrow McLaren No. 6 for Remainder of 2024 and Beyond

By David Morgan, Associate Editor

Just when it seemed the game of musical chairs that is the seat of the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet was over, another round was still afoot.

In a surprise announcement, the team revealed that 19-year-old Nolan Siegel would be taking over driving duties for the car starting with Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterrey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

The 2023 INDY NXT Rookie of the Year and winner in the LMP2 class in this year’s running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans made waves in the NTT IndyCar Series with his heroics in Indianapolis 500 qualifying as he tried, but ultimately failed to make the 33-car field, along with his last-minute substitute role for Juncos Hollinger at Road America.

A hot prospect that was bound for a ride in the IndyCar Series in some form or fashion, Siegel got the call that he would be the new driver for the Arrow McLaren seat for the remaining races in 2024, along with a full-time slate in 2025 and beyond.

“I’m looking forward to jumping right in with the Arrow McLaren team this week and confirming my place in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in papaya moving forward,” Siegel said.

“This is an unexpected jump, but I’m thrilled to be in this position after a rewarding run in the Indy NXT by Firestone series with HMD Motorsports. I am looking forward to this new journey and learning alongside the entire team starting this weekend in my home state.”

Siegel’s entry into the Arrow McLaren seat completes a whirlwind year for the drivers in that car, with David Malukas originally slated to drive it before an offseason wrist injury sidelined him and eventually led to his ouster. Callum Ilott and Theo Pourchaire had been splitting seat time, with Pourchaire confirmed to drive the balance of the 2024 schedule after the Indy 500 just a few weeks ago.

But when Siegel came on the market, Arrow McLaren decided he would be the right fit and Pourchaire was unfortunately on the outside looking in when the music stopped.

“Stability and sustained growth are key to our long-term game plan here, and this is a significant step in that mission,” said Gavin Ward, Arrow McLaren Team Principal.

“First, I want to thank Théo for his time filling in on the No. 6 car with us in recent weeks. We’ve been working through musical chairs all season, and ultimately, making this change to Nolan now that he’s available gives us the chance to build a foundation for the future. He is a young, talented driver with an immense amount of experience at this stage of his career and we’re excited to continue on the upward journey together.”