Arrow McLaren adds Frenchman Pourchaire fulltime
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio
The Americanization of Frenchman Theo Pourchaire will continue during the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season, courtesy of Arrow McLaren.
Pourchaire, the reigning Formula 2 champion, will make his third start in the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course _ lead-in event to INDYCAR’s all-important “Month of May.” Two rounds of practice today will be followed by three rounds of knockout qualifying for the NTT P1 Award Friday afternoon around the 2.439-mile/14-turn layout. Saturday’s race is scheduled for 85-laps/207.3-miles.
Pourchaire will sit-out the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 26 before returning to the cockpit for the Detroit Grand Prix street race in June and remainder of the 2024 schedule.
Pourchaire has replaced 22-year-old Chicagoan David Malukas, who was released from his contract on April 29 after missing the season’s first four races while recovering from extensive wrist injuries suffered in a mountain bike accident in February.
Pourchaire finished a respectable 11th in his McLaren debut during the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, followed by a 22nd-place result at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala.
“I’m looking forward to discovering another new track this weekend,” said Pourchaire, a 20-year-old native of Grasse, France. “However, I’m a bit more familiar with this (IMS) track given its history, plus I’ve been able to have some time in the simulator to prepare. This is home for a lot of teams in the series, including Arrow McLaren, so I’m excited for my first-ever race in Indianapolis. I’ll give it my all this weekend and hopefully we can bring home a good result.
“The NTT IndyCar Series has some of the best racing in motorsport, and now I can say that with experience. I’m excited to take on this challenge with Arrow McLaren for the rest of the season. This is a special opportunity, and I am committed to learning and improving as we get on-track each race weekend. I’ve enjoyed my first two races with the team, and I know we have plenty of potential in front of us.”
Pourchaire will skip the remainder of the Super Formula season to drive for Arrow McLaren. He finished 18th in the opening race of the Japanese series at the Suzuka Circuit in early March.
Malukas was added to McLaren’s three-car INDYCAR lineup in September as teammate to lead driver Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi. “With Théo, we just keep continuing to build up and improve each time he gets in the car,” said Gavin Ward, McLaren Team Principal. “I’m confident we’re going to have three cars fighting at the top this weekend, and I’m looking forward to starting the Month of May with a great result.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has not designated a driver for the No. 6 Chevrolet for the Indy 500, which is contested on IMS’ famed 2.5-mile oval. Pourchaire recently completed an oval test on the 1.25-mile World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill., outside St. Louis.
Malukas won seven of 20 INDY NXT by Firestone races and racked-up a series-record 16 podium finishes during the developmental series’ 2021 season. Those results earned Malukas a seat in the NTT IndyCar Series with Dale Coyne Racing. Driving for Coyne’s underfunded team, Malukas scored two podiums over two seasons.
Malukas injured his left wrist in a training accident on Feb. 11, one month before the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in Florida. Missing Race No. 4 at Barber Motorsports Park triggered a clause in Malukas’ contract that allowed McLaren to terminate his services.
Noting his rehab was taking longer than anticipated, Malukas thanked McLaren management for the high-profile opportunity.
“The past three months have been challenging,” Malukas said in a statement. “I felt privileged to have had the opportunity to drive for Arrow McLaren and regret that it never materialized. I would have loved to have continued representing the team and its partners going forward. They have been good, and I appreciate all they have done for me. I’ve done everything possible to speed up the rehab process _ treatments, physiotherapy, strength training _ but my recovery has taken longer than anticipated.
“Every injury is different and every body heals at a different pace. I’ll turn my full attention to getting back to 100 percent and then prove that I am ready and able to compete to win.”
Fast facts heading into Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix in Indianapolis:
_ Four drivers have competed in every INDYCAR race run on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course: Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Graham Rahal. All are entered this weekend.
_Team Penske has scored eight wins on the IMS Road-Course (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020-Race 2, 2020-Race 3, 2021-Race 2). Chip Ganassi Racing has three wins, with Scott Dixon in 2020-Race 1 and 2023-Race 2 and Alex Palou in 2023-Race 1.
_ Andretti Autosport, Ed Carpenter Racing and Arrow McLaren SP are the only other teams to win on the IMS Road-Course layout. Andretti Autosport won the Sonsio Grand Prix with Colton Herta in May 2022 and Gallagher Grand Prix with Alexander Rossi in August. Ed Carpenter Racing won in 2021-Race 1 with Rinus VeeKay and Arrow McLaren SP won the inaugural race in 2014 with Simon Pagenaud when it was known as Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.
_ Four NTT IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year contenders _ Tom Blomqvist, Linus Lundqvist, Christian Rasmussen and Kyffin Simpson _ are entered and will compete in an Indy-car on the IMS Road-Course for the first time alongside veteran driver Pietro Fittipaldi.
_ Scott Dixon, a six-time series champion with Chip Ganassi Racing, will attempt to make his 325th consecutive start Saturday. That’s the second-longest streak in INDYCAR history.
NTT IndyCar Series Point Standings: 1, Colton Herta, Andretti Global, 101; 2, Will Power, Team Penske, 100; 3, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, 98; 4, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, 94; 5, Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 87; 6, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, 71; 7, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, 67; 8, Linus Lundqvist, Chip Ganassi Racing, 62; 9, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, 59; 10, Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing, 58;
11, Alexander Rossi, Arrow McLaren, 53; 12, Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter Racing, 53; 13, Romain Grosjean, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 50; 14, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, 49; 15, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 48; 16, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, 48; 17, Christian Lundgaard, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 48; 18, Marcus Armstrong, Chip Ganassi Racing, 45; 19, Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, 45; 20, Augustin Canapino, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 39;
21, Jack Harvey, Dale Coyne Racing, 35; 22, Tom Blomqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 34; 23, Pietro Fittipaldi, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 28; 24, Theo Pourchaire, Arrow McLaren, 27; 25, Sting Ray Robb, A.J. Foyt Racing, 23; 26, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, 22; 27, Callum Ilott, Arrow McLaren, 19; 28, Colin Braun, Dale Coyne Racing, 10; 29, Nolan Siegel, Dale Coyne Racing, 10; 30, Luca Ghiotto, Dale Coyne Racing, 9.
