3 September 2026 15:00 (UTC)
The campaign is guided by a core idea: the modern technological world needs to shift from smart to intelligent solutions.
For nearly seven full IndyCar seasons, Arrow Electronics, McLaren Racing and Pato O’Ward have formed a tight, cohesive unit. Arrow has been the title sponsor of McLaren Racing’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES program from Day 1, and since that day Pato has piloted the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.
Paint schemes and livery designs have evolved across the seven years, although, outside of rare occasions like the Indianapolis 500, Pato’s No. 5 car typically carries a consistent look from race to race. This weekend represents another one of those rare occasions as Pato and the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet sport a special, custom livery showcasing Arrow’s “Smart to Intelligent” campaign for the 2026 IndyCar season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The design features “Smart to Intelligent” branding on top of both sidepods and on the the front wing of the car accompanied by new dot-pattern accents. The campaign itself is guided by a core idea: the modern technological world needs to shift from smart to intelligent solutions.
In recent years, it seems everything has become “smart” from cars to watches to toothbrushes. The word “smart” has lost its significance and has become expected. The next step forward is embedded intelligence—technology that is more predictive, intuitive, adaptive and useful. Arrow helps customers make that leap, turning smart innovations into intelligent solutions that make life and business better.
Arrow’s Smart to Intelligent campaign highlights business-specific applications in the company’s areas of strategic focus, including intelligent autonomous vehicles, light electric vehicles (LEVs), medical, supply chain and robotics:
Smart: Driving an electric vehicle. Intelligent: Arrow is guiding innovation that electrifies every type of vehicle.
Smart: Medical devices that improve diagnostics and therapies. Intelligent: Arrow is helping to make those devices and therapies more sophisticated and accessible.
Smart: Managing supply chains. Intelligent: Arrow is supplying solutions that provide visibility, control and resilience.
Smart: Automated technology for increased production. Intelligent: Arrow is helping develop AI technologies that can reduce waste, improve efficiencies and worker safety and handle it all with care.
Racing is, obviously, all about speed. It’s also about solving problems.
In the highly competitive world of IndyCar, Arrow McLaren also pursues intelligent solutions on a daily basis - both on and off the racetrack. The team’s move into the newly renovated, state-of-the-art McLaren Racing Center (MRC) ahead of the 2026 season has been a huge help when it comes to both efficiency and innovation.
The new building was an upgrade in every way imaginable, and crucially it offered more physical space. The team nearly tripled its operational space from its previous 33,000 square-foot facility to the new expanded shop with a total footprint of 86,000 square feet.
The new space provides an expanded shop floor where cars are built and maintained in car bays and also allows for the machine shop, gearbox room, fabrication shop plus assembly and subassembly areas to all operate under one roof. It sounds simple, but the expanded area creates major efficiencies - helping the team acquire needed parts in mere days compared to weeks - and also fosters a more collaborative, innovative environment across the board.
Fresh off a historic Milwaukee doubleheader sweep, Pato heads into the final round of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season at Laguna Seca sitting fourth (503 points) in the standings. He and teammate Christian Lundgaard (currently P2 at 507 points) will look to round out the season with top three finishes in the championship.
Pato is excited to hit the iconic 11-turn road course in the “Smart to Intelligent” livery which was revealed to fans on Tuesday via social media.
“My car is going to look different for the first time outside of an Indy 500. I’m sure you guys are going to love the livery because I sure do. The firesuit will also be different. I like that, too.”
