IndyCar: Arrow McLaren replacement confirmed for all but one race

David Malukas was recently released by Arrow McLaren after missing the first four races of the 2024 IndyCar season, including the exhibition race at Thermal Club, with a wrist injury he suffered in an offseason mountain biking accident.

Callum Ilott and Theo Pourchaire have both replaced him in two events so far this season, with Ilott standing in for the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida and in the exhibition race at Thermal Club. Pourchaire made the first two starts of his IndyCar career in the races on the streets of Long Beach, California and at Barber Motorsports Park.

Arrow McLaren have now confirmed that the No. 6 Chevrolet is officially set to be driven by Pourchaire for the remainder of the 2024 season, excluding the Indy 500.

Pourchaire to drive the No. 6 Chevrolet

Pourchaire has officially been named the driver of the No. 6 Chevrolet for this Saturday afternoon's Sonsio Grand Prix at the Indianapolis road course, and he is set to return to the cockpit for the rest of the season starting with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on the streets of Detroit, Michigan on Sunday, June 2.

Ilott is still expected to drive the No. 6 Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway later this month due to his oval experience and his participation in last month's open test at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Speedway, Indiana oval in place of Malukas.

In his second Indy 500 start last year, he started 27th, led five laps, and finished in 12th place, just three spots shy of his career-best oval finish of ninth at Texas Motor Speedway.

Ilott, not Pourchaire, was also included in this year's Indy 500 media guide, a tell-tale sign that he is indeed set to be the 34th and final confirmed driver on the entry list, unless Arrow McLaren pull off a major surprise and put Tony Kanaan in the car for yet another "last lap" retirement tour.

Pourchaire was the biggest mover in his IndyCar debut, starting 22nd and finishing in 11th place in Long Beach. Late contact with teammate Pato O'Ward at Barber relegated last year's Formula 2 champion to a 22nd place finish.

All signs seem to be pointing toward Pourchaire running the full schedule with Arrow McLaren in 2025 as well after he recently took part in an oval test. Whether or not the team find a way to also make room for Ilott, whom they were known to be quite high on ahead of last year's free agency when he was still under contract with Juncos Hollinger Racing, remains to be seen.