Theo Pourchaire is currently participating in his first IndyCar racing weekend, replacing the injured David Malukas at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Malukas was expected to be fully recovered from his broken wrist by now, but his healing process has been delayed as doctors assess his progress. Arrow McLaren made the announcement of Pourchaire’s debut late, but the young driver had been preparing for this opportunity for a few weeks. His social media posts indicated that he was in Indianapolis and had participated in a simulator session, fueling speculation that the reigning F2 champion would replace Malukas. In an interview before his first laps on the Long Beach street circuit, Pourchaire revealed that he could also replace Malukas at Barber Motorsports Park next weekend if he is still not ready. Pourchaire expressed his excitement about the opportunity to drive for Arrow McLaren, stating that it was an incredible chance for him. He clarified that his participation in the second race would depend on Malukas’s recovery. Malukas has already missed a lot of time on track with his new team due to his injury, with Callum Ilott replacing him in previous events. Pourchaire, despite having no previous experience driving an IndyCar, performed well in the practice session, finishing 21st out of 27 drivers. He has been making the most of the limited time he has had to watch videos and seek advice from experienced IndyCar drivers within the Arrow McLaren team. Pourchaire described how his deal came about, mentioning that he was in France when he received the call and immediately flew to Indianapolis to work with the team. He expressed his joy at the last-minute opportunity, considering it an amazing surprise. © 2024
