Malukas Waits For IndyCar Silly Season Dominos to Fall
Photo by Dana Garrett/Penske Entertainment
It happens every year about this time and, no, I’m not referring to the addition of pumpkin spice at your local coffee shop.
Instead, it’s silly season - when speculation about which driver will be with which team when next season gets underway.
With only four races remaining on the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series schedule, including Saturday’s Gallagher Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, 2021 series champ Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, Marcus Ericsson, are the key drivers to watch.
After an awkward attempt to join the Arrow McLaren team for this season, Palou ultimately chose to stay at Ganassi. Will the lure of a Formula One role with Arrow McLaren in 2024 be enough for the Spaniard to leave Ganassi as he closes in on a second IndyCar title?
Ericsson, the 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner and this year’s runner-up, is looking to get paid after funding his ride during his time at Ganassi. A number of teams are reportedly interested in the Swede.
While Palou and Ericsson have been tight-lipped about their plans for next season, second-year driver David Malukas has let it be known he will not be returning to Dale Coyne Racing in 2024.
Since making his decision known about a month ago, the 21-year-old driver from Chicago has run really well, but insists he’s not had second thoughts about leaving the team.
“No, no. It's nothing from the team side. I love everybody there, from the engineers to the mechanics. It's just for my future with what I want, to Dale, things have been different from what kind of our views align. I'm wanting to go elsewhere.
Photo by Doug Matthews/Penske Entertainment
Where that elsewhere is, Malukas doesn’t know, or isn’t saying, because so much hinges on what Palou and Ericsson decide.
“There's a few drivers in the field that have been rumored to move. I think it's kind of everybody is waiting on them. As soon as those two drivers, I obviously don't want to name them, but if those two drivers move, it's going to be a massive domino effect of a lot of people starting to jump.
“The way I see it, I think it's all rumors. I don't know if things are actually going to change. We have an option that isn't affected by that.
“Yeah, we'll see how it goes. But nothing is signed. Everything is still kind of in the talks. Hopefully in the next few weeks things are going to start kicking off.
“I do know if those drivers move, it's going to be a lot. Hearing a lot of rumors there's going to be a lot of changes.”
“As soon as those two drivers, I obviously don’t want to name them, but if those two drivers move, it’s going to be a massive domino effect of a lot of people starting to jump.”
With Devlin DeFrancesco likely out at Andretti Autosport at the end of the season, speculation has Malukas going there in 2024. Roman Grosjean’s future with Andretti isn’t certain, either.
One thing Malukas doesn’t want to do is wait too long to put something in place for next year.
“For me it's more securing my future than waiting on these other drivers. If you wait, wait, nobody moves, now we don't really have any options. Everybody is like, well, we've already signed with other people.
“Yeah, if they move, then yes, maybe something. But there's also a lot of other drivers going in for it, too. It's going to be more of a battle. If nothing happens, there's still something else.”
Photo by Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment
Malukas says he has something for next season, but it’s not guaranteed.
“Yeah, we have a plan. Nothing is guaranteed. There's nothing signed. But, yes, there is something, but not guaranteed. Haven't signed yet. There is nothing signed. I'm still, like, free with anything, yeah.”
But Malukas concedes he doesn’t have an offer from another team that is waiting for him to sign at this point.
“No, not yet, unfortunately.
“But I will know more in the next coming weeks. No, there's none of that yet. It's still kind of, like, we're interested but there's nothing.”
Malukas feels his on-track performance speaks for itself this season and that there isn’t anything more he has to prove.
“Every time I go out, I want to give it 110%. I always will no matter the situation I'm in. Is it affected by it? I don't think so. I don't normally try to do that, put extra stress on myself.
“No, I think there's multiple options. I don't think we're going to be in a situation where we have to prove ourselves. I think I've proven as much as I could. Yeah, I think the teams know that, so…”
In some ways, Malukas feels a bit of frustration on waiting for certain dominos to fall before he can make his move for next season.
“Yeah, but it's just how the game works. There's only so many seats in different teams. If nobody moves, then nothing's going to happen. You could say it's frustrating. At the end of the day it's just how it is. I mean, I'm not really affected by it.”
That’s why it’s called the silly season.