Arrow McLaren joined the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2020. Since then, the social and digital media team has prioritized creating a welcoming and interactive experience for international fans joining as a 'McLaren Racing' fan or a racing fan in general.
This past year, our department established our own direct mission statement that embodies our purpose and aspirations: “Bring excitement and joy to our people and our fans to win together, on and off the track.” This guiding principle has been the foundation of our social and digital media strategy, ensuring that every piece of content reflects who we are and what we strive to achieve.
As part of the McLaren Racing brand, we’ve been deliberate in creating a visual and narrative identity that aligns with the prestigious global organization, while also carving out our own unique voice. We aim to be more than a race team; our goal is to build an interactive and engaged community that feels like an extension of our family. By balancing the sleek and sophisticated feel of McLaren with the grit, determination, and passion of our Indianapolis-based team, we’ve created a presence that resonates both on and off the track.
Through this approach, our platform ensures that all individuals can feel they are a part of our journey and can celebrate every success together.
Not only did Arrow McLaren become the first INDYCAR team to reach 1M followers across all platforms, but they have and continue to host several fan-facing engagements at the race weekends with their drivers and team. Arrow McLaren is leading from the front when it comes to promoting an inclusive environment for all, mental health, Women's History Month and several other priority initiatives in a sport that is taking the next step alongside their fan base.
Motorsports has seen remarkable growth in the United States in recent years, and Arrow McLaren has embraced this momentum in a thoughtful and sustainable way. We recognize that many of our fans are new to the team and may first connect with us through social or digital media before transitioning to watching a race. This presents a unique opportunity - and responsibility - to integrate them in becoming part of our journey in the most authentic way possible.
Our goal is to create engaging content and provide accessible resources to help new fans seamlessly jump into the world of motorsport, equipping them with a clear understanding of what happens on and off the track. We aim to showcase who we are as a team: a professional, results-focused organization that is driven by determination and improvement, while also leaning into the light-hearted, fun aspect of our drivers and team.
By sharing candid glimpses into the highs and lows of racing, including heartbreaking near-wins like Pato O’Ward’s runner-up finish at this year’s Indy 500, we invite fans to experience the human side of motorsports. It’s about building an authentic connection, ensuring fans feel part of the ride as we chase our goals together.
Fan growth and engagement is quite clear: this year, Arrow McLaren became the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES team to eclipse 1M total followers across all platforms despite joining the series on a full-time basis in 2020.
This past year, Arrow McLaren recorded a new follower growth rate of 48% across their channels. The team also registered over 15M engagements, representing a YoY growth rate of over 35% (next closest IndyCar team settled in at 3.4M engagements).
The team has totalled over 57M video views in 2024, 400+% more than the next closest team in the series.
