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McLaren boss says dropping James Hinchcliffe best for team

The head of McLaren said Friday its IndyCar team will pay James Hinchcliffe not to drive for them in 2020, a change of direction for the organization set in motion when young driver Pato O'Ward became available.

Zak Brown said: the decision this week to remove Hinchcliffe from the Arrow McLaren SP car was strictly business.

The CEO of McLaren had repeatedly said Hinchcliffe would be part of the team next season after McLaren came aboard. Hinchcliffe had driven for team co-owner Sam Schmidt since 2015, but with McLaren now on board the organization will field the youngest lineup in IndyCar with O'Ward and Oliver Askew, the last two Indy Lights champions.