IndyCar champion Tony Kanaan exhibits a special tribute from the ‘USA team’ for McLaren's F1 triumph

Arrow McLaren Deputy Team Principal Tony Kanaan has shared a special congratulatory message for its sister team that won the 2024 F1 constructors' championship on Sunday. Lando Norris took a lights-to-flag victory at the Abu Dhabi GP to help McLaren F1 win its first constructors' championship in 26 years

The Briton held off the Ferrari pair of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc to win his fourth F1 race, and teammate Oscar Piastri finished in P10 to earn 1 point and defeat the Scuderia in the championship by 14 points (666 vs 652). Appreciation poured in from across the globe for the Woking outfit's historic win.

Arrow McLaren, McLaren Racing's IndyCar arm, posted an Instagram video congratulating it in a message led by Kanaan.

"Alright, Papaya family, we took it to the wire in the last race, but we did it. Congratulations to the F1 team. We did the constructors' championship. Now we gonna take this good luck for us next year. So congrats from the USA team here," Tony Kanaan said before turning around to cue the entire team's celebratory cheer. "Let's celebrate."

The caption of Tony Kanaan and Arrow McLaren's post read:

"With love, from the USA. 📬🧡 Congratulations, @mclaren! 🏆 #ThisTeam"

Arrow McLaren will look to replicate the organization's F1 success in IndyCar next year, led by Kanaan, their leader and the 2004 IndyCar champion. The team has yet to win the prestigious Indy 500, which Pato O'Ward came agonizingly close to win this year.

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Tony Kanaan reveals the aftermath of Pato O'Ward's heartbreaking 2024 Indy 500 loss

Pato O'Ward (R) with Romain Grosjean at the 106th Indianapolis 500 Qualifying - Source: Getty

Pato O'Ward lost the 108th Indy 500 by only 0.34 seconds. The Mexican driver was in an intensely close battle with Team Penske's Josef Newgarden for bragging rights at the Brickyard. O'Ward almost sealed the victory in Turn 1 of the final lap by passing his rival to take the lead. However, Newgarden retook the lead by Turn 3 to win his second consecutive Indy 500.

O'Ward's raw emotions surfaced, and tears of anguish flowed. He seemed inconsolable and gave the post-race interviews with teary eyes. IndyCar legend Tony Kanaan, who won at the Brickyard in 2013, revealed how he consoled his star driver. He said (via IndyStar):

"I know it hurts, and I told him what I’ve gone through, and I know it doesn’t justify or change anything, but I think it’s good to hear it from somebody who’s gone through it. That’s gotta be easier than someone else who says, ‘Oh, you did a great job.’ But it’s going to haunt him and hurt him until he wins one."

The Arrow McLaren driver finished fifth in the 2024 IndyCar standings with three wins and 460 points. He was also one of many to congratulate McLaren's F1 success. He reposted McLaren's Instagram post on his story and wrote:

"LFGGGGG. CHAMPSSSS!!!"

Screengrab of Pato O'Ward's Instagram story (@patriciooward)

2025 could be a game-changing year for McLaren. The IndyCar and F1 teams will have championship-contending drivers shooting for the ultimate prize.