Qualifying for the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 proved to be the fastest on record. The pace around the legendary oval electrified the crowd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, especially on Saturday when Alexander Rossi laid down a four-lap average of 233.528 mph to set the top mark in the early stages of the session. With just over an hour left in the session, Felix topped his teammate at 233.947 mph with one of the fastest one-lap speeds in Indy 500 qualifying history at 234.329 mph.

Arrow McLaren ended the day with the two fastest laps on the grid and all four cars advancing into the second round, showing the pace that made the team a force to be reckoned with the following weekend. While they wouldn’t claim pole Sunday, Felix took third to start on the outside of the front row while the other three drivers qualified fifth, seventh and ninth.

The qualifying performance was fitting considering their sleek liveries which honored the race wins that comprised McLaren Racing’s historic Triple Crown achievement.

Ahead of the last race of the 2023 season, Felix announced he’d be joining Meyer-Shank Racing for 2024, making the Monterey Grand Prix his last race with Arrow McLaren. The team threw him a going-away party on Saturday ahead of his departure, but it wouldn’t be the only Felix celebration of the day.

Felix was one of the best qualifiers on the grid in 2023, ranking fifth in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for average starting position at 8.7. Later that afternoon, he stepped into his No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet for his final qualifying session with the team. An hour and a half later, Felix recorded a lap of 1:06.6416, good enough to secure pole position.

What better way to send off his team with a pole in his last race with the team?

After announcing in 2022 he would race for Arrow McLaren in this year’s Indianapolis 500, the legendary driver later revealed the race would be his final one in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Tony’s farewell tour was full of emotion and excitement. The Brazilian driver spent the lead up to the race recounting his amazing career and engaging with fans who were looking forward to seeing their favorite driver behind the wheel one last time.

Race day proved to be the most emotional, as he was honored with multiple pre-race tributes on the video board and constant applause from the fans. After he crossed the finish line in 16th, he spent time with his family on pit lane, taking in what was the culmination of one of the greatest careers in the history of the sport.

After a plenum event robbed Pato of a win in the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, he and the No. 5 team went to Texas with high hopes. They were looking to defend their 2022 win at this event, and halfway through this year’s running, he looked like he was well on his way to doing so. Pato got off to a strong start and held his position near the front of the pack until halfway into the race when he took off from the rest of the field. Pato led almost every lap from Lap 129 to Lap 194, and had lapped nearly the entire field. He also made 93 on-track passes throughout the race, the most at Texas Motor Speedway since 2016.

A yellow flag at Lap 193 slowed Pato’s momentum, and a yellow on Lap 249 ruined his chances of fighting for a last-second win against Josef Newgarden. While the win wasn’t in the cards that day, Pato showed how dominant he could be and left with a lead in the championship.

Entering the month of May, hopes were high for Arrow McLaren. The team flashed competitive pace through the first four races, and Pato had secured a pair of P2 finishes. On top of that, the Indy 500 was on the horizon and all four papaya drivers had strong cases to be favorites to raise the Borg-Warner Trophy.

The month began with the first of two races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, where Alexander won the fall race in 2022. All three drivers qualified in the top 10, giving each a strong chance to contend for a win and podium. While none of the three Arrow McLaren drivers won, the next-best thing happened: Pato and Alexander finished P2 and P3, while Felix followed close behind with a P5 result.

It was an energizing boost to the team going into the biggest race of the season, and it showed the series Arrow McLaren’s three-car operation was a force to be reckoned with.