Arrow McLaren has unveiled its driver for the #6 entry for the majority of the remaining 2024 IndyCar Season. Theo Pourchaire will be taking over the driving duties for all upcoming races, except for the Indy 500. Pourchaire will be replacing David Malukas, who was originally set to compete in most of the races but has been sidelined due to a hand injury. The team has decided to appoint Pourchaire as a more permanent replacement for the 22-year-old driver. Pourchaire has already participated in two races earlier in the season and performed well enough to earn a spot on the team for the rest of the year.
Despite remaining as the reserve driver for the Sauber F1 team, Pourchaire has decided to prioritize his IndyCar commitments and will not be competing in the Super Formula season. One of the challenges that Pourchaire will face as part of his new role is racing on oval tracks, which he has never done before in his career. He recently completed his first oval test at Gateway and admitted to feeling nervous and intimidated initially. However, he gained more confidence as the test progressed and is now eagerly looking forward to his first oval race, scheduled to take place on July 13 at Iowa Speedway.
Team Principal Gavin Ward expressed excitement about continuing to work with Pourchaire, praising his ability to quickly adapt and learn. The team believes that his skills and willingness to learn will contribute to his development as he becomes more comfortable racing in the NTT IndyCar Series. The team has yet to announce a driver for the Indianapolis 500, but assured fans that news regarding that matter will be revealed soon. The team’s new arrangement will kick off this weekend with the Sonsio Grand Prix, set to take place on Saturday afternoon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.