David Malukas has become one of the shock major talking points of IndyCar in recent days with the announcement of his future plans.
The American will make the move to A. J. Foyt Racing in 2025 after signing a multi-year deal with the team.
Malukas has impressed in his five IndyCar appearances this season with Meyer Shank Racing, after he missed a huge part of the first half of the season with a wrist injury.
And speaking on The Race IndyCar Podcast, the 22-year-old discussed his move to A. J. Foyt and what he is hoping to achieve with the team.
David Malukas says that getting the AJ Foyt car to a race win would be a ‘dream come true’
A. J. Foyt Racing have great history in IndyCar, but have fallen on hard times in recent years with their last win coming from Takuma Sato in 2013 at Long Beach.
Since then, the team have only registered three podiums; one of them coming last season through current driver Santino Ferrucci, where the American finished third at the Indianapolis 500.
But in 2024, A. J. Foyt have seen a resurgence in form – partly down to the team’s new technical partnership with Penske – with Ferrucci achieving seven top-10 finishes so far this season and sits 10th in the standings.
And with the team on the up, new recruit Malukas says it is a ‘dream’ of his to get A. J. Foyt back to the top step of IndyCar.
Asked whether the team’s history was a reason for joining them, Malukas replied: “Another big factor. It’s being a part of history.
“Definitely before these last few seasons, I feel like they’ve had a little bit of a dip in performance and [are] now on this upward trend.
“I can only see it going forward and to be a part of that new trend and going up there, I mean for me it would be a really big deal to get that A. J. Foyt car back into the podium, back into a race win.
“I mean that would be like a dream come true and to be that driver that brings them back there, that’s like a statement in itself.
“I think part of it, it’s also certain dreams that I’ve had. A. J. Foyt Racing, growing up watching, I get to say that I get to drive for them, so it is special in that perspective as well.”
David Malukas has endured a difficult 2024 season
It has not been a smooth season for Malukas this year, as a broken left wrist ruled him out for a long period.
The 22-year-old had been set to drive for Arrow McLaren this year, but after missing the first four races, he was released from his contract due to an unclear recovery time.
He returned to IndyCar in place of Helio Castroneves – who replaced Tom Blomqvist for two races – at Meyer Shank Racing from Laguna Seca onwards.
In his five races so far with the team, he has qualified in the top 12 in four of them and finished sixth last time out in Toronto.