FULL-TIME INDYCAR MOVE “AN OPTION” SAYS SUPERSUB POURCHAIRE

With no ride in F1 available after clinching the F2 title, Pourchaire has spent this year as a reserve driver for Sauber while racing in Japan's Super Formula series.

The Frenchman was granted an opportunity to substitute for injured Arrow McLaren driver David Malukas at Long Beach last weekend and performed 11th after starting 22nd.

Pourchaire hailed the racing as “amazing” at the event's conclusion and has been retained for this weekend’s round at Barber Motorsports Park.

Asked by Autosport if an F1 opportunity did not open whether he would consider a move to IndyCar, Pourchaire replied: “Yeah, sure. IndyCar was already on my list last year.

“It's something I always wanted to do. I didn't have an opportunity to drive.

“I feel like I was also waiting on an F1 drive with Sauber. Unfortunately, I was not able to go to F1.

“There was also the Super Formula, which is a great category. That was also an option for me. I decided to do that.

“IndyCar is great. Why not coming here full-time in the future? It's an option.”

Theo Pourchaire, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet

Photo by: Josh Tons / Motorsport Images

But Pourchaire remained reserved when further pressed about a timeline to make the leap.

“I have a lot of time in front of me because sometimes people can forget that, but I'm only 20 years old,” he said.

“Of course, I'm F2 champion, which is great. I want more. I want to win a few championships.

“If I can win one day the IndyCar championship, my dream is also to be an F1 world champion. That's the dream of everybody.

“I have a few possibilities. I still have a lot of time in front of me. I would say, yeah, probably a few years.”

Despite only being around for a short time, Pourchaire admitted “I feel like home here” when talking about his comfort level in IndyCar. 

But should a full-time move to IndyCar happen in the future, he’ll need to get acquainted with ovals. Asked about the prospect of racing on them, Pourchaire said oval racing was “something I always wanted to try one day”.

“Hopefully I will have the opportunity to try it,” he continued. “It's for sure not easy because some people in Europe can see it as we just have to turn left and be full throttle.

“That's completely false. I already had a look a little bit at the races. I was like, 'Whoa'.

“I was watching Indy 500s. I'm watching this race every year. It's really difficult.

“But I would love to try one day. It's also very difficult. A lot of strategies. A lot of fuel saving as well on the ovals.

“Yeah, why not try one day? If I have the opportunity, yes.”

Watch: Round 3 - Long Beach: 6 Minute Highlights

2024-04-25T12:38:38Z dg43tfdfdgfd