Christian Lundgaard, driver for Arrow McLaren, secured a remarkable top-10 starting position for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, entering an intense and unfamiliar phase of his career. Lundgaard’s experience at Indianapolis 500 qualifying reveals both the pressures and exhilaration that accompany racing at the world’s most prestigious motorsports event.
Breaking Through at Indianapolis: Lundgaard’s Qualifying Milestone
After three seasons spent unsure if he would even make it into the Indy 500 field, Lundgaard achieved a major career milestone during the recent Full-Field Qualifying session by advancing into the Fast 12 for the first time. This positioned him among the fastest competitors guaranteed to start within the top 12 spots. While this success brought excitement, Lundgaard described the day’s events as a whirlwind of emotions, contrasting Saturday’s extreme tension with the comparative calm of qualifying Sunday.
“I feel like the Fast 12 was the least stressful day,”
Lundgaard shared. The heightened anxiety on Saturday derived from witnessing serious incidents involving drivers Marcus Armstrong and Colton Herta, underscoring how quickly fortunes can turn and years of team preparation can be undone.
“I think Saturday qualifying is much, much more stressful, and I think we see it for the reason of what happened to Colton, and Marcus Armstrong. The amount of work that goes into this one car just for the 500 from the team’s perspective, it’s a year’s worth of preparation that goes in, that can be ruined in a split second,”
Lundgaard explained.
The stakes were especially high when Colton Herta crashed on his first qualifying lap, forcing his team to rebuild a car stripped of specialized speedway components and refinements. Lundgaard conveyed the helplessness of watching competitors set fast times while waiting uncertainly to see if he would get another chance to qualify.
Obviously for me that wasn’t the case. Touch some wood, hopefully it doesn’t, right?
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Pressure mounted further during the final moments of Full-Field Qualifying as Conor Daly attempted a run that threatened to displace Lundgaard from the Fast 12. Sitting in 12th place, Lundgaard observed Daly’s last effort closely, uncertain if he would retain his spot.
“I felt like that was very stressful because Conor’s last run, the last run of the day, he was on track to beat us. And he made a mistake in 1 and 2 that cost him,”
he said. “I didn’t know how to react because this is not a situation that I’ve been in. I’ve been in something very similar, but that was fighting to just be in the race, you know, like at least now I had the peace of mind knowing that I was in the race regardless. And it’s stressful.
It’s … it’s not fun.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Lundgaard’s stress began early that day, reflecting the high expectations and tension familiar to anyone competing at Indianapolis.
“Waking up Saturday morning, I was kind of just shaky, in a sense, because I felt like I was much more nervous this year than I’d been prior, just because I felt like I at least had a chance to do something, where prior I don’t even know if I’m going to be in the race.
So that was definitely a different kind of feeling.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
His words illuminate the extraordinary mental challenge drivers face when confronting the immense pressure of the world’s largest single-day sporting event.
Progress and Promise: Lundgaard’s Momentum at Indianapolis
Lundgaard described his month at Indianapolis as positive overall, highlighting several encouraging performances. Besides qualifying eighth for the Indy 500, he had previously secured a second-place finish at the Barber race in Alabama, marking his third consecutive podium. Despite these successes, he recognized the emotional ups and downs inherent to racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).
“It’s been a good, good month so far. I think there’s been ups and downs for sure. I think that’s the story every year you come to the Speedway. You have a good day, you have a bad day,”
he said.
For Lundgaard, the ability to genuinely enjoy the weekend’s events stems from finally having a legitimate chance to compete for top honors rather than just striving to secure a place in the race. Previously, his best start was 28th, and his best finish was 13th, both achieved last season.
“It’s a much more pleasant and fun experience this year than what I have been a part of prior, and I get to enjoy it much more. You don’t really enjoy showing up for a race weekend, as big as this is — it’s more than just a weekend — you’re not enjoying it if you’re not in the fight,”
Lundgaard explained.
If you’re just fighting to be in the race, it’s just more stressful than anything else. And I definitely have felt like I’ve experienced a different kind of stress, and just how different it is fighting for, I wouldn’t really go to the extent of saying fighting for pole, but at least fighting for the front end of the field, and making sure that you’re well positioned for the start of the race,
It’s, just been a much more pleasant experience and the team’s done an awesome job.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Lundgaard credits his team for significantly enhancing his understanding of the No. 7 car and the intricacies of the IMS track, enabling steady improvement throughout the month.
“I think it’s helping me to understand how to drive this car, but also, doing it on the go, feeling what’s so different from the prior muscle memories and all my other experiences,”
he said.
With teammates Pato O’Ward starting third and Kyle Larson and Nolan Siegel in the field, Lundgaard believes Arrow McLaren is competitive and has a credible shot at victory.
Obviously having a car in the front row [Pato O’Ward, who starts third], we’re eighth, and then Kyle [Larson] and Nolan [Siegel] a little further back, but I feel like we’ve done a tremendous job and the cars are fast and very trim and we’re in it, so we do have a chance to win.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Navigating the Unique Challenges of IndyCar’s Indianapolis Track
Merely having a chance to win the Indy 500 is a lofty goal, yet accomplishing it depends on mastering the complexities of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which presents unique challenges every time the drivers step on track.
Lundgaard acknowledged how difficult it is to consistently nail lap after lap given ever-changing weather and track conditions, which can cause major shifts in car behavior.
“You don’t,” he said when asked how easy it is to balance practice and race preparation at IMS.
“I think that’s what’s so tough. You have so much time in the car and it’s almost too much, right? It’s very easy to get lost.”
He elaborated on factors such as temperature changes, wind direction, and course conditions fluctuating between practice sessions and race day, complicating efforts to keep the car’s setup optimized.
It’s very easy to go down the wrong path because the weather changes, the conditions change, the car feels really good in cold conditions, and it feels terrible in hot conditions or vice versa, and it’s kind of finding that balance of what does the car need for certain conditions to keep that feel that you have, right?
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Lundgaard described the weekly routine where focus initially centers on race pace but gradually switches to qualifying setup for Fast Friday and Saturday. Yet, caution is necessary to avoid excessive running that might increase risk, especially as conditions on the track evolve.
That’s what’s so tough, when you’re doing [from] Tuesday up until Thursday practice before qualifying, you’re focused on the race car. And then Fast Friday is pure quali trim. But at the end of the day, you also want to keep the car in one piece, so you don’t really want to run that much, where the conditions might have been completely different Tuesday to Thursday, than what you’re going to see on race day,
Monday practice, after qualifying, was much closer to what is anticipated for race day and the car was behaving in a completely different way.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
This constant adjustment amidst unstable conditions is “mind-blowingly different” and challenging to track mentally over the course of the month.
That’s just what’s so difficult because at the same time, conditions are changing, you’re making changes to the car or you’re keeping the exact same car that you had, I guess four days before qualifying weekend and it just doesn’t feel the same,
And it’s just so mind-blowingly different, and it’s just very difficult to keep track of.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Wind direction advances another layer of complexity. Lundgaard cited the week’s practices and qualifying sessions as all having the same wind direction, which changed dramatically on race day and again for Monday’s practice.
“We show up Sunday and it’s the opposite way, and it’s the opposite way again on Monday, and something we haven’t experienced. And it’s just so difficult because you build up all these references Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, OK, it’s all the same. Then you go out Sunday and the wind is so much less, and it’s a little bit of a wind direction shift.”
Because all my references are with the balance like this.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
The complexity and unpredictability of these variations might explain some of the incidents and crashes already witnessed at IMS this year, he suggested.
“And I think we’ve seen that with a few people, making mistakes and brushing the wall or having big crashes and I think that’s what caught Scott [McLaughlin] out too in in in Sunday morning practice, the track was completely different.
It was a lot cooler than the day before and, yeah, it’s not fun.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Despite the difficulties, Lundgaard emphasized the vital role of his Arrow McLaren team in maintaining mental focus and strategic clarity.
I think as a team, Arrow McLaren has helped me a lot with just understanding and keeping the mentality, and just keeping calm and staying in the present, and also keeping the vision of what’s really important for the long term versus just, ‘[T]his is what [the track] feels like this right now, and we have a lot of references from times where things have felt good, or this was similar to what we were expecting on race day.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
The Emotional Highs and Lows of Racing at Indianapolis
The thrill and tension of driving at qualifying speeds on the IMS oval encapsulate some of motorsport’s most intense emotions. Lundgaard described both the worst moments and the pinnacle experiences on track.
If you’re out there and something doesn’t feel right, it is the worst time of your life because you feel like everything you’re doing is out of your control,
He also noted the chaos of traffic with drivers jockeying for position and unpredictable lines adding to the stress.
In contrast, when everything aligns perfectly, the experience is exhilarating and unmatched.
“I would definitely say when everything is clicking and you’re just driving around out there enjoying yourself, it is the most fun you’ll ever have,”
Lundgaard said, referencing a moment akin to Charles Leclerc’s famous sunset lap at Austin in Formula 1 as an ideal benchmark.
And it’s it’s awesome.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Adjusting to Arrow McLaren: A Strong Start to 2025
Lundgaard began the 2025 IndyCar season with Arrow McLaren after four years with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, where his highest season finish was eighth in 2023. Thanks to three podiums this year, including the strong start at Barber, he sits third in the championship standings behind Alex Palou and teammate Pato O’Ward heading into the Indy 500.
When asked about his rapid adaptation to Arrow McLaren, Lundgaard gave a candid assessment:
I think it’s a very simple, short answer really. I don’t want to sound cocky, right? I know what I’m capable of doing, and I think if you put a fast driver in a fast race car, the results will come by themselves,”
Obviously, the whole package needs to fit. If you put a fast driver in a fast car, you’re going to have good results, but you’re not going to see them consistently, right? And I think that’s where the No. 7 crew has done an incredible job.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
He emphasized the importance of clear communication with his engineer Chris Lawrence and how building understanding off-track helps deliver consistent results on race days.
We spent a lot of time in the offseason preparing and making sure we were speaking the same language, and kind of covering all bases, covering all kinds of situations, making sure when I was saying, ‘hey, Chris,’ my engineer [Chris Lawrence] would understand what I’m trying to tell him,
I think the more time you spend with someone, the more you’re gonna learn about them, and I feel like we did a good job with that.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Regarding his role in the team’s dynamic off the track, especially in content creation alongside Pato O’Ward and rookie Nolan Siegel, Lundgaard reflected on the varied personalities and joked about team hierarchy.
Funnily enough, Pato is the oldest of the team, Nolan’s definitely the youngest, I think,
We have a good variety of personalities, right? I think Pato is very outgoing, explosive. I think Nolan is a little more up-and-coming young kid that is just kind of trying to explore.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Lundgaard’s journey from Denmark began with karting at age 11, moving through European lower formula series by 15. He grew up fast traveling and competing away from home during his teenage years, fostering early maturity within a much older professional environment.
“I grew up at a certain age, right, but I got into this motor racing industry at a very young age, and I was kind of left by myself. I started traveling by myself when I was 13, so basically ten years ago now.
“And you grow up really fast.
“You mature extremely fast. And I was on the road through my high school years and, basically what’s equivalent to college, back home and every time I would come home to school, I’d be like, ‘[W]hat are you guys doing?’ You grow up in a sense,”
Lundgaard explained.
He expressed appreciation for his teammates’ authenticity and personality.
“When I now see myself with Pato, with Nolan, when we’re doing all this stuff, I’m just gonna be myself.
“I’m not gonna try to put up this character, that sometimes I feel like it looks like Pato’s doing that, but that’s just who he is. And I think it’s becoming more apparent to people that that’s just who he is.
“I mean, he’s awesome.
I love Pato. He says what’s on his mind.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
The Indy 500 Livery and What Victory Would Mean
Discussing the No. 7 car’s special design for the 109th Indianapolis 500, Lundgaard recounted a humorous moment when the team’s “Never Stop Racing” motto was jokingly nicknamed “Nolan Siegel Racing,” highlighting the camaraderie and lighthearted atmosphere within Arrow McLaren.
So we had a good laugh about that.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Evaluating the design itself, Lundgaard praised the classic white paint of his car.
You’re never gonna get tired of white. It’s always classy, and it always looks awesome.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
He also considers the team’s full-season cars some of the best on the grid.
I think my general season car is probably the prettiest car on the entire grid,
I feel like we have kind the best-looking cars.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Asked what winning the Indianapolis 500 would mean to him, Lundgaard spoke pragmatically, focusing on managing expectations and embracing the moment.
“It’s a good question,” he began. “I would say I’m more relaxed. I’m more kind of laid back and don’t really think about it, because at the end of the day, I know it’s going to be life-changing. I’ve always been very good at not setting expectations and, I look at it realistically.
“But winning would obviously, I think it would be more of a surprise than anything else. Obviously, I know I’m good enough to win. The question is: Is it going to be my time? Is it going to be my day, on the very given day?”
I think that’s the big question,
I’m gonna take it in and take it as it comes, and enjoy the moments.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
He acknowledged that a win would usher him into a demanding period of media and travel, which he feels ready to face thanks to guidance from team principal and 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan.
“I know that the following days are gonna be hell [should he win on Sunday], having to go to New York, having to do all these media appearances, and then going straight to Detroit [for the next race] and, be back on it, switched on,”
Lundgaard said.
Kanaan, who has shared extensive advice with Lundgaard about managing race weekends and the demands of victory, remains a valuable mentor.
So if I’m ever in doubt, I’ll just ask Tony.
—Christian Lundgaard, Driver
Anticipation Builds for Sunday’s Battle
As Christian Lundgaard prepares to start in a strong position for the 109th Indianapolis 500, his experience at Indianapolis 500 qualifying shows a driver growing into his potential while navigating the extraordinary pressures of one of racing’s toughest arenas. His progress this year with Arrow McLaren, combined with his team’s support and personal resilience, sets an optimistic tone for the race ahead. The variations in track conditions, relentless need for adaptation, and scale of the event combine to make Sunday’s competition as much a mental challenge as a physical one.
Lundgaard’s candid reflections and steady improvement offer fans and experts alike a reason to watch closely as he seeks to convert qualifying success into a landmark Indy 500 victory, all while managing the intense emotions and stakes that define this ultimate test of racing skill.
