Arrow McLaren Loses Experienced Race Engineer to Rival Team

Alex Harrington | Aug 16, 2024

Jul 20, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Arrow McLaren driver Nolan Siegel (6) during qualifying for the Honda Dealers Indy at Streets of Toronto. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Arrow McLaren's experienced race engineer, Robert Gue, is marking his departure from the team, ending a near 15-year tenure that began when the group was known as Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Having been a pivotal part of the team for almost a decade and a half, Gue's exit comes as a significant moment, especially since it was timed just shy of his 15th anniversary.

Among his responsibilities, Gue played a crucial role in engineering the No. 6 Chevy driven by rookie Nolan Siegel.

The announcement of his departure prompted the Arrow McLaren leadership to accelerate his transition out of the team with five races yet to conclude in the season. As a result, Gue will be absent at the NTT IndyCar Series at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Stepping into the void left by Gue is Brian Campe, who now assumes the role of race engineer for Nolan Siegel starting at the World Wide Technology Raceway.

Campe brings a wealth of expertise from a 12-year tenure with Team Penske, during which he contributed to significant victories including the 2015 Indianapolis 500 win with Juan Montoya and a championship tie the same year.

More recently, Campe returned to NASCAR with Hendrick in 2022 but maintained a collaborative relationship within IndyCar through a partnership that enabled NASCAR champion Kyle Larson to compete under the Arrow McLaren umbrella.

Campe’s arrival at Arrow McLaren reunites him with Gavin Ward, now the team principal, and sets the stage for a transitional period within the engineering squad. While Campe’s role is temporarily stabilizing the team, his long-term position within the organization remains undefined as the team looks toward assessing potential permanent replacements among its internal candidates.

As Arrow McLaren navigates this transition, Brian Campe’s interim engagement is crucial. The team's future strategy involves a careful assessment of its assistant and performance engineers from its expanded three-car program, aiming to appoint a permanent race engineer for Siegel’s car by 2025.

This reshuffling within Arrow McLaren’s engineering ranks occurs against a backdrop of various movements within the IndyCar series, such as Katherine Legge’s return to Coyne and Conor Daly’s new alignment with Juncos Hollinger Racing. As the series advances at World Wide Technology Raceway, these shifts hint at a season brimming with competitive spirit and strategic realignments, signaling an evolving landscape for teams and drivers alike.