The most recent FIA F2 champion, Theo Pourchaire, will make his debut in the IndyCar series this weekend at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, according to an announcement from Arrow McLaren. Pourchaire, who currently serves as a reserve driver for the Sauber F1 team, will be behind the wheel of car #6 for Arrow McLaren on the streets of the city outskirts of Los Angeles. This opportunity will allow him to contribute valuable points to the team’s performance in the second race of the 2024 season. Pourchaire, 20, was called up as a substitute for the injured David Malukas, who is still recovering from a broken wrist suffered while mountain biking in February.
In a statement, Pourchaire expressed his excitement about the opportunity to drive for a legendary team in the prestigious NTT IndyCar series. Being a fan of IndyCar since childhood, he is thrilled to have received the invitation from the team. He is grateful to Zak Brown, Gavin Ward, and Tony Kanaan for considering him for this opportunity, as well as to the Sauber team for allowing him to participate in the race at Long Beach. Pourchaire acknowledges the challenge ahead of him but is ready to face it.
For the opening round in St. Petersburg and the showcase event at the Thermal Club, Callum Ilott served as a substitute driver. However, he will not be available for the next race as he has committed to competing in the full 2024 WEC season with the Hertz Team Jota. Ilott will be participating in the 6 Hours of Imola on the same weekend as the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Pourchaire has spent the past few weeks in the United States, where he had the opportunity to test in the Chevrolet simulator alongside Sporting Director Tony Kanaan and Kyle Larson. It is worth noting that he will be sporting the Onsemi brand on his car, marking his debut for the 2024 season.
Gavin Ward, speaking on behalf of Arrow McLaren, expressed disappointment that David’s recovery is taking longer than expected. However, he praised the team’s efforts in supporting David’s rehabilitation and making the necessary adjustments since his injury. Ward emphasized that although Theo was not expected to join the IndyCar paddock this season, the team is excited to see his performance on track in Long Beach. They are grateful to Sauber for their collaboration in making this opportunity possible. Despite his young age, Pourchaire has an impressive racing background and is eager to test his skills in the NTT IndyCar series.
Whether Malukas will be fully recovered in time for the race at Barber Motorsports Park the following weekend is still uncertain. Arrow McLaren will announce the driver for that race next week.
