AMSP to decide soon on fourth Indy 500 entry

Armed with Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist, who finished second and fourth respectively in May’s Indianapolis 500, plus new recruit and 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi, the Arrow McLaren SP team already boasts one of the most formidable lineups for next year’s "Greatest Spectacle in Racing." The decision being weighed by McLaren CEO Zak Brown and new AMSP team leader Gavin Ward is whether it is in the program’s best interest to add a fourth entry for the 500.

“We'll make a decision in the next two weeks, because I either want to be totally prepared or not do it,” Brown told RACER. “So we'll make a decision soon, and it’s definitely something we're still considering.”

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McLaren held talks with NASCAR Cup Series champions Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson about piloting a fourth Chevy-powered entry, but both were recently informed that the team will lean towards an Indy 500 veteran if a car is readied for the speedway. Of the other known candidates, 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan is said to be of interest to AMSP and other IndyCar teams in search of a front-running solution.

“The stress on the system, so to speak, is what we’re evaluating,” Brown added. “We’ve got the equipment; we’ve got the people. It's whether the fourth car is additive that we’re looking at, and if it will help the other three cars which are competing for the championship.”