David Malukas finished the IndyCar season in far better fashion than he started it off after injuring his wrist and losing his McLaren drive.
The American bounced back when he landed a drive with Meyer Shank Racing for the remainder of the year.
It heralded some positive results, but it could have been so much better, with the example of being taken out by Will Power at Gateway standing out most.
He easily could have gone on to win his maiden IndyCar race that day at the Grand Prix of Madison, but it wasn’t to be for the man who has signed to race for his third team in the space of a year in 2025.
David Malukas didn’t do ‘anything wrong’ in second half of IndyCar season
The 22-year-old has signed a multi-year deal with AJ Foyt Racing to partner Santino Ferrucci – a team who have steadily improved recently.
Malukas has enjoyed a similar level of improvement himself, as he gained more experience and found himself in contention for a podium at most race weekends in the latter portion of 2024.
Speaking on The Race’s IndyCar podcast, JR Hildebrand shared what he believes went wrong for him when he was on for some better results.
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“Rarely in the second half of the season actually closing the deal, but a number of times that not being because he did anything wrong.
“He’s got a tyre goes down, they put him on a weird strategy two-thirds of the way through the race [and] gets taken out by Will Power at Gateway.”
What should Malukas aim for in 2025?
Unlike many young drivers who are frantically searching for an opening on the IndyCar grid currently, Malukas is quite secure with AJ Foyt.
Being settled should do wonders for his performance, allowing him to relax and express himself on the track.
Based on the promise he showed during the backend of the 2024 season, there’s a good chance that he will contend for his first victory next year.
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He knows what it takes to deliver now, and should have more knowledge when it comes to setting up the car to his liking.
It’s a shame that things didn’t work out for him at McLaren, but it’s equally fantastic to see that he has managed to pull things back together again very soon.