Arrow McLaren signs Hunter-Reay as sporting director

Ryan Hunter-Reay has signed with Arrow McLaren to become its new sporting director.

The 2012 IndyCar Series champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner fills the role formerly held by fellow champion and Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, who was promoted to team principal in 2025.

With the formal appointment, Hunter-Reay will continue the efforts he launched at the start of the season to improve the three-car program’s competitive efforts on and off of the race track. Arrow McLaren says Hunter-Reay will “serve as the critical bridge between competition, engineering, the driver lineup and commercial efforts,” and take on an ambassadorial role for the team.

He rendered similar competition-related duties for ECR in 2023 when the underperforming outfit released Conor Daly and hired the 20-year veteran to drive one of its cars and assess its on-track and procedural shortcomings. Having driven for Arrow McLaren for the first time last month at the Indy 500 as its fourth driver, Hunter-Reay received a firsthand look at how his new team operates and where it needs to improve in its quest to win its first championship and its first 500.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to join Arrow McLaren as Sporting Director,” Hunter-Reay said. “After 23 years competing at the highest level of American open wheel racing, I’m eager to bring my experience, passion and insight to contribute pushing this ambitious team forward, and I’d like to thank (McLaren Racing CEO) Zak (Brown), Tony Kanaan and Arrow McLaren board members for this opportunity.

“Arrow McLaren has shown tremendous potential and possesses all the ingredients necessary to continue fighting for championships and Indy 500 wins as well as the coveted Triple Crown that McLaren Racing is aiming to achieve once again. Together with the talented drivers, engineers and crew, I will work relentlessly to help elevate our performance and deliver the results this iconic team, its fans and partners deserve.”