Tomorrow, practice begins at the Indianapolis oval for the season’s biggest race. McLaren Racing has already unveiled the liveries of all four cars that will line up for the 110th Indy 500.
The base colors are orange and white. However, each car has unique accents to reflect its sponsorship. Pato O’Ward, Christian Lundgaard, and Nolan Siegel will drive the main lineup. The fourth car, however, will be driven by 45-year-old Ryan Hunter-Reay, the same man who won the Indy 500 in 2014. This will be his 18th start in the legendary race.
At McLaren, they talk about “unfinished business.” That’s the campaign’s name: Unfinished Business. The goal is one: victory. And it has historical undertones.
50 Years Later: McLaren and Unfinished Business at the Indy 500
Exactly half a century ago, in 1976, Johnny Rutherford won the Indy 500 in a McLaren M16. The British team has three victories in this race. A fourth will be a new chapter.
Team Principal Tony Kanaan makes no secret of his ambitions: “We truly have unfinished business at the Indy 500. The new liveries and slogan reflect our thirst. This is the biggest event in global motorsport. I want to see these cars on track as soon as possible and continue the fight for that long-awaited triumph.”
Qualifying will take place on May 16–17, after four days of practice. The race itself will take place on May 24. In 2026, the Indy 500 will be held for the 110th time. The stakes are higher than ever.
Formula 1 and IndyCar in 2026: The Wildest Races of the Season
Motorsports in 2026 have completely gone wild. Formula 1 and IndyCar have both made a frantic start, where close-quarters combat reigns supreme and even the most carefully considered tactics are thrown out the window. Now the stakes are at their highest: the Indy 500 looms on the horizon, where the cost of any mistake is zero.
Bahrain, Australian, and IndyCar Grand Prix: Four Races to Remember
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Bahrain F1 Grand Prix: Three Leaders in 15 Laps
A nail-biting finish with three lead changes in the final 15 laps and a complete miscalculation by the strategists regarding soft tire wear.
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Australian F1 Grand Prix: A pileup at the start and a massive restart
A massive pileup at the start triggered a frantic restart. Drivers literally flew into the first sector three deep (and it’s a miracle there were no serious consequences).
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Long Beach Grand Prix IndyCar: Victory Decided by 0.2 Seconds
An undercut war, where the gold medal was decided by the sheer speed of the mechanics. The winner was determined by a mere 0.2 seconds on the pit stop.
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Barber Motorsports Park: Two stops versus three, and an unexpected winner
Perfect tactical flex. A rare case where an alternative two-stop layout completely outperformed a classic three-stop layout.
DRS-Free Overtaking in 2026: A New Style of On-Track Racing
Drivers are clearly tired of waiting for open-wing straights. Drivers are increasingly attacking out of tight corners or diving straight into traffic without regard for clear space. The key feature of the season is overtaking on the outside at high speeds. The risk of crashing into the wall is colossal, but you gain a position instantly.
The wheel-to-wheel battle deserves special mention. The IndyCar series is more forgiving due to the aerodynamic specifications, so the fighting is especially intense. But the team bridges of the top teams frankly flounder under pressure. Get the tire degradation schedule wrong, and you’ll lose 5-10 positions out of nowhere.
Indy 500 2026: What will decide the winner at 370 km/h and four McLarens
The iconic Indianapolis traditionally cranks these trends to the max. When the average speed exceeds 370 km/h, any mistake can be catastrophic. Here, the backmarkers break the timing much more harshly than on traditional racetracks. Pit stops become a game of roulette: lose just one second changing tires, and you’re already out of the lead pack.
Put all this together, add a fleet of four McLaren cars and Hunter-Reay’s championship experience, and you have the script for the perfect thriller. It’s not so much horsepower that matters here, but nerves of steel and the precise execution of every stint.
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