IndyCar is only two races into the season, but rumors of driver free agency are already swirling ahead of a busy month. Injuries and contract expirations have created uncertainty among several teams and drivers, with some big names potentially on the move.
Arrow McLaren is at the center of the free agency buzz, with David Malukas’s ongoing wrist injury casting doubt on his future with the team. The 22-year-old American dislocated his wrist and tore tendons in a mountain biking crash a month before the season opener, and he has missed the first five races of the season. McLaren officials initially thought he would only miss the first two races, but his recovery has taken longer than expected.
With Malukas’s status uncertain, McLaren has been exploring other options. Reigning Formula 2 champion Theo Pourchaire raced for the team at Long Beach and could be in line for a longer stint. McLaren CEO Zak Brown acknowledged that the team is having to make “difficult decisions” about its driver lineup.
Josef Newgarden, the two-time IndyCar champion and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner, is another big name who could be on the move. The American is in a contract year with Team Penske and is reportedly seeking a pay raise that would put him in the same bracket as Colton Herta and Pato O’Ward. Newgarden has won more races than both Herta and O’Ward in the past three seasons, so he may feel that he deserves to be compensated accordingly.
“I do not discuss contracts in public,” Newgarden said at Long Beach. “What matters to me is winning races. That is the genuine answer. Everything else follows from that.”
Alexander Rossi, the 2016 Indy 500 winner, is also in a contract year with McLaren. The American has won seven races since joining the series in 2016, but he has not won since 2022. He is looking for a change of scenery and has been linked to several other teams.
Christian Lundgaard, a 22-year-old Danish driver, is one of the most sought-after free agents on the market. The Rahal Letterman Lanigan driver has just one win in 37 career starts, but he is considered one of the fastest young drivers in the field. Lundgaard is in a contract year and is reportedly looking beyond weekly results as he evaluates his options.
“I think that the plan stays the same — you do the best you can with the material that you have underneath,” Lundgaard said. “I’m not at all worried that what we have at the moment is good enough to win. We just have to put the puzzles of the pieces of the puzzle together really.”
Rinus VeeKay is another driver who could be on the move. The Dutchman has one win in 65 starts for Ed Carpenter Racing, but he has yet to put together a full season. VeeKay is in a contract year and has said that his goal is to return to ECR on an extended contract.
The Indy 500 is next month, and contract talks among all teams are expected to be in full swing by then. It is a busy time for IndyCar, and there is sure to be plenty of movement in the driver market in the coming weeks.
