At the IndyCar Bommarito Automotive Group 500 held at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR), Arrow McLaren condemned Nolan Siegel’s angry radio rant aimed at Scott McLaughlin and Team Penske. This incident followed Siegel receiving a drive-through penalty for blocking McLaughlin, who was leading the race at the time.
The 20-year-old Siegel, facing imminent lapping by McLaughlin, engaged in aggressive defensive driving that nearly forced his rival off the track, prompting IndyCar officials to penalize him for dangerous behavior. Frustrated by the penalty, Siegel unleashed a profane tirade over the team radio, referencing a prior collision with McLaughlin at the Detroit Grand Prix where the Penske driver had caused Siegel to spin and fall behind.
“Bullsh*t, f****** bullsh*t. Absolutely not, absolutely not. He fu**** takes me out last race, and he gets to f****** continue? No. F*** that sh*t. Tell Penske to go f*** themselves. I want you to talk to them about that penalty. That’s f****** bullsh*t,” he said.
The explicit rant quickly went viral on social media, drawing criticism from fans and observers alike. Arrow McLaren subsequently issued an official statement condemning Siegel’s language and affirming the team‘s commitment to professionalism.
“At Arrow McLaren, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of professionalism, respect and sportsmanship – on and off the track. The language expressed over our radio during this past race weekend does not reflect who we are as a team. We do not condone that behavior. We’ve addressed it directly with Nolan, and he is taking responsibility for his actions,” it read.
“Accountability is a core value at Arrow McLaren, and we expect every team member to represent our partners, fans and organization with integrity. Additionally, we expect our fans and online community to act with respect and civility, and we will not tolerate hate, abuse, or discrimination within our social media platforms. It is vital that we collectively maintain a safe and welcoming community for all involved.”
Race Results and On-Track Developments at WWTR
Siegel finished the race in 19th place, improving by one position from his 20th place start. Scott McLaughlin, who remained Team Penske’s only contender after teammate Will Power faced a sudden puncture and Josef Newgarden crashed with Louis Foster, retired from the race on lap 216 due to a mechanical failure. Meanwhile, Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global claimed victory, with Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward finishing as the runner-up.
Potential Influence of Detroit GP Incident on Siegel’s Reaction
The recent controversy raised questions about whether Arrow McLaren’s approach to an earlier clash at the 2025 Detroit Grand Prix affected Siegel’s behavior at WWTR. On June 1, a tense moment occurred when Scott McLaughlin bumped a slower Nolan Siegel during a race restart on the main straight, causing Siegel to spin.
Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan reacted publicly to a video of the incident during the Detroit GP with a brief yet pointed comment:
“Oh ok then….” he wrote in the middle of the race.
McLaughlin responded by mocking Kanaan’s remark, adding a humorous jab that referenced braking:
“Misjudged this one. Ol’mate broke quite a bit earlier than I anticipated. Good to see McLaren team principals are still on the hunt for beef… @GoodRanchers has loads for ya. Use code #BrakeLater for 0% off.”
Kanaan countered by bringing up McLaughlin’s crash at the 109th Indy 500 earlier in May, intensifying the exchange. This back-and-forth divided fans as the tension between the two teams escalated ahead of the WWTR race weekend.
While a truce seemed to be reached before the Bommarito Automotive Group 500, the question remains whether the heated handling of the Detroit clash by Kanaan contributed to Siegel’s aggressive and profane response during his radio rant.
