With David Malukas’ recovery from his wrist surgery taking longer than expected and Callum Ilott, his replacement for both the 2024 IndyCar season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida and the exhibition race at Thermal Club, unable to compete on the streets of Long Beach, California this weekend, Arrow McLaren have named a new driver for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
2023 Formula 2 champion Theo Pourchaire is scheduled to make his IndyCar debut behind the wheel of the No. 6 Chevrolet, doing so in Sunday afternoon’s 85-lap race around the 11-turn, 1.968-mile (3.167-kilometer) temporary street circuit.
The 20-year-old Frenchman, who presently drives in Japanese Super Formula and acts as a test and reserve driver for the Sauber Formula 1 team, has been connected to the empty position for a number of weeks, and formal confirmation was made on Thursday.
Malukas yet to make Arrow McLaren debut
Malukas’ future beyond this weekend has not been determined, although there is no six-week gap between the season’s second and third points races like there was between the first and second. The third race at Barber Motorsports Park is slated to take place next Sunday, April 28, which might put Arrow McLaren in position to bring back either Ilott or Pourchaire once again.
With his mountain biking injury coming before the 2024 season, Malukas has yet to compete in an IndyCar race for Arrow McLaren, which signed him to drive the car they had been lead to believe Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou would drive this year and beyond. Felix Rosenqvist, who now drives for Meyer Shank Racing, is the driver that Malukas was hired to replace.
Malukas spent the first two seasons of his IndyCar career with Dale Coyne Racing through a collaboration with his father’s HMD Motorsports, and he achieved two podium places, both at Gateway.
Ilott stood in for Malukas during last week’s Indy 500 open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as well. Pourchaire’s start this Sunday is poised to make him the third different driver of the No. 6 Chevrolet in the previous three points races going back to last year’s season finale at Laguna Seca.
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is planned to be televised live on USA Network from the streets of Long Beach, California commencing at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, April 21. If you have not yet joined a free trial of FuboTV, do so now and don’t miss it!
