The 2025 IndyCar Series season kicked off with a bang for Christian Lundgaard, the new star at Arrow McLaren. With three podium finishes in the first five races, he currently sits in third place in the championship standings, just one point behind Kyle Kirkwood. However, Alex Palou is dominating the leaderboard.
Despite the 100-point gap to Palou, Lundgaard remains optimistic about his chances of clinching his first championship title this season. He believes that Palou’s lead is not insurmountable, stating, “They’re going to have bad weekends. They can’t win every weekend. I know that’s what it looks like right now. But at the end of the day, we need to focus on what we can control.”
Reflecting on his unexpected success, Lundgaard expressed his surprise, saying, “If you would have told me six months ago that that was the case, I don’t think any of us would really have believed it.” Despite the challenges he faced in previous seasons, he is now enjoying the rewards of his hard work and dedication.
Before joining Arrow McLaren, Lundgaard spent three seasons at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, where he achieved three podium finishes, including a win at Toronto in 2023. Now, just five races into his tenure with Arrow McLaren, he has already matched his previous podium count.
Adjusting to a new team and car was initially challenging for Lundgaard, but he has now found his stride and feels comfortable behind the wheel. His relationship with teammate Pato O’Ward has been instrumental in pushing both drivers to perform at their best and elevate the team as a whole.
Looking ahead to the Indianapolis 500, Lundgaard remains calm and focused on enjoying the experience and learning as much as possible. He is confident in the strength of the McLaren cars at the event and is determined to deliver a strong performance.
Overall, Lundgaard is pleased with his decision to join Arrow McLaren and believes in the team’s approach to racing. He is optimistic about their consistency and performance in the upcoming races, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and focus in achieving success on the track.
