McLaren Indy 500: Rossi Rejects, Hunter-Reay Takes the Wheel

Zak Brown reveals details about the failed negotiation with Valentino Rossi for the Indianapolis 500

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, had anticipated a “mega” signing for McLaren’s fourth seat at the Indianapolis 500. The possibility of seeing Valentino Rossi, the nine-time motorcycle world champion, in the iconic race generated great anticipation. Finally, Rossi declined the offer, and the seat was filled by Ryan Hunter-Reay, winner of the Indianapolis 500 in 2014, an agreement announced last week.

I spoke with Valentino, he loves the Indianapolis 500, he loves big events, he’s willing to race on ovals. But he’s quite focused on the WEC and only wants that to be his priority. He recognized the level of commitment required and concluded that he probably couldn’t do the WEC and Indy correctly, so we’ll keep talking.

Zak Brown

Brown explained that he had several conversations with Rossi, who has a great appreciation for the Indianapolis 500. However, Rossi decided to focus on his current commitment in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), where he competes with a BMW for Team WRT in the LMGT3 class. Brown has managed to attract prominent figures to participate in the Indianapolis 500, including F1 world champion Fernando Alonso, two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya, and NASCAR two-time champion Kyle Larson. Rossi, considered one of the best motorcycle racers of all time, is the only road racer to have competed in more than 400 Grand Prix. Of his nine world titles, seven were in the 500cc/MotoGP category. In addition, Rossi holds the record for most wins (89) and podiums (199) in the premier class. Faced with the impossibility of having Rossi, Brown opted for Hunter-Reay, an IndyCar veteran with an impressive track record, including a victory at the Indianapolis 500 and an IndyCar title. Hunter-Reay retired from full-time competition after the 2021 season, but has participated in the Indianapolis 500 in the last three seasons, achieving an eleventh place in 2023. In addition, Hunter-Reay has been twice runner-up in Indianapolis. Brown, when asked about the choice of Hunter-Reay after Rossi’s refusal, replied: “Because he can win.”