Theo Pourchaire, the reigning champion of the 2023 F2 season, has left a strong impression on the IndyCar scene with his remarkable performance at Long Beach. Arrow McLaren, the racing team, announced on Tuesday morning that Pourchaire will be driving for them in his second race this upcoming weekend.
Despite having no prior experience in an IndyCar, Pourchaire managed to make a significant impact during the Grand Prix of Long Beach. With only a single simulator session and video review as his preparation, the 20-year-old driver climbed from 22nd to an impressive 11th place finish. Not only did he outshine his fellow rookies, but he also gained the most positions among all the drivers in the field.
Pourchaire’s outstanding performance has undoubtedly influenced Arrow McLaren’s decision to retain him for another race. The team had been considering this possibility since they initially approached him a couple of weeks ago. This decision was further solidified by the fact that their contracted driver, David Malukas, is still recovering from a severe wrist injury he sustained in late February.
Initially, Malukas was expected to recover within six weeks. However, his healing process has taken longer than anticipated, and the extent of his injuries has proven to be more significant than initially thought. As a result, the team has not made any concrete plans beyond the upcoming weekend, as they are closely monitoring Malukas’ progress and evaluating his health.
Currently, Malukas is scheduled to have the pins removed from his injured hand this week, which marks a crucial milestone in his journey towards returning to the driver’s seat.