Arrow McLaren releases David Malukas after four missed races due to wrist injury

LEEDS, Ala. — Arrow McLaren has severed ties with David Malukas just four races into their relationship — races the young driver missed after dislocating his left wrist and tearing tendons after flying over his handlebars mountain biking a month before the season-opener.

Team officials told Malukas about the move at the end of a rough weekend. Arrow McLaren's cars finished 22nd (Malukas stand-in Theo Pourchaire), 23rd (Pato O'Ward) and 25th (Alexander Rossi) at the Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix. The team let Malukas go to avoid a murky legal position.

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Had Arrow McLaren kept the 22-year-old beyond Sunday, they ran the risk of appearing to guarantee Malukas the ride upon his uncertain return. Had they then cut ties with him later this season, it's understood the team believed it ran the risk of being sued for false promises.

Malkuas released a statement later Monday.

"The past three months have been challenging," it said. "I felt privileged to have had the opportunity to drive for Arrow McLaren and regret that it never materialized. 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 – buy 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 percent and then prive that I am ready and able to compete to win."

In need of consistency and security in the No. 6 Chevy, Arrow McLaren signed Malukas to a multi-year deal for in September of last year — a one-year deal with ensuing team options. The team will now look for either a temporary, or perhaps longer-term, replacement. Callum Ilott, who ran the season opener at St. Pete and the exhibition at The Thermal Club, remains unavailable for the Sonsio Grand Prix on the IMS road course May 10-11. He has a full-season schedule with Hertz Team Jota in the World Endurance Championship late last year, and will be racing at Spa that weekend.

Ilott's conflict would seem to signal a likely return of defending F2 champ Theo Pourchaire, who made his IndyCar debut two weekends ago at Long Beach with a solid 11th-place finish. Round 2 at Barber this weekend, though, was admittedly tougher. However, the team's plans for the No. 6 remain up in the air.

The combination of Pourchaire — who is competing in Super Formula this year — and Ilott could work, if necessary. After Spa, Ilott's race schedule is open until June, when duties ramp up for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ilott would seem the likely option for the Indy 500, considering Pourchaire hasn't gone through oval testing at Texas Motor Speedway that would qualify him to run a Rookie Orientation Program on the IMS oval.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Arrow McLaren IndyCar team releases David Malukas after 4 missed races