Malukas has been the focal point of drama since suffering an injured left wrist that required surgery after a mountain bike accident on 11 February, less than a month before the season started on 10 March.
Arrow McLaren cited the reason “due to him being unavailable for the entirety of the season to date, with no confirmed return date” behind its call to drop Malukas, which had put it in a situation to call up two other drivers – Callum Ilott and Theo Pourchaire – to race in his absence.
Ilott drove at the season-opening round at St. Petersburg, the non-points $1 Million Challenge at The Thermal Club and the Indianapolis 500 Open Test, while reigning Formula 2 champion Pourchaire made his IndyCar debut earlier this month in the Grand Prix of Long Beach and at Barber last weekend.
Malukas joined the team in September 2023 and was set to race his third IndyCar season with Arrow McLaren until the wrist injury sidelined him.
“The past three months have been challenging,” Malukas said. “I felt privileged to have had the opportunity to drive for Arrow McLaren and regret that it never materialised.
“I would have loved to have continued representing the team and its partners going forward. They have been good, and I appreciate all they have done for me.
“I’ve done everything possible to speed up the rehab process – treatments, physiotherapy, strength training – but my recovery has taken longer than anticipated.
“Every injury is different, and every body heals at a different pace. I’ll turn my full attention to getting back to 100% and then prove that I am ready and able to compete to win.”
Arrow McLaren is finalising its driver line-up for the remainder of the 2024 season and is due to make further announcements for upcoming races in the coming weeks.
