Arrow McLaren selects Pourchaire as replacement driver for the injured Malukas

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Arrow McLaren named reigning F2 champion Theo Pourchaire as the permanent replacement driver for the injured David Malukas on Thursday.

Pourchaire takes over the No. 6 Chevrolet for Saturday’s Indianapolis Grand Prix and will compete in all remaining IndyCar Series races with the exception of this month’s Indianapolis 500. A scheduling conflict for Indy’s qualifying weekend, May 18-19, will prevent him from driving in the series’ biggest race.

Callum Ilott, who replaced Malukas in this season’s first two IndyCar races and completed April’s open test on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval, is expected to run in the 500. Ilott, who is English, started each of the last two 500s, finishing 32nd as a rookie and 12th last season.

Pourchaire made his IndyCar debut at Long Beach and finished 11th before returning to the cockpit at Barber Motorsports Park. He also did a test session Monday on IndyCar’s oval track near St. Louis.