Theo Pourchaire has revealed his future plans for the Frenchman’s career after missing out on a seat on the Formula 1 grid with Sauber for 2024.
The Sauber junior driver won the 2023 Formula 2 world championship, claiming the title at the final round of the season over Frederik Vesti by 11 points.
Pourchaire was Sauber’s reserve driver in Formula 1 during the 2023 season and has been kept in his role for 2024 after the team opted to retain their race drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.
And speaking with IndyCar driver Conor Daly on his Speed Street podcast, the 20-year-old explained his next potential move after his F1 snub ‘hurt a lot.’
Theo Pourchaire says he had a ‘good taste’ of IndyCar with Arrow McLaren this season
Pourchaire had been under consideration for Sauber’s driver line-up heading into the 2024 Formula 1 season. But the Frenchman, in his own words, was not looked at that much.
The F2 champion was also scheduled to race in Super Formula this year with Team Impul. But he withdrew from the championship after just one race at Suzuka as he was offered the chance to drive in IndyCar with Arrow McLaren.
Replacing the injured David Malukas at Long Beach and Barber Motorsports Park, Pourchaire was given the drive for the remainder of the season, bar the Indianapolis 500, after Malukas was released due to an unclear recovery timeframe.
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But after just five races in the saddle, the 20-year-old was axed by the team following the signing of Nolan Siegel on a multi-year deal. Pourchaire returned at Toronto to replace the injured Alexander Rossi, but he is currently without a permanent seat.
Now, the Frenchman has discussed the ‘tough position’ he is in and outlined that Pourchaire wants to get back onto the IndyCar grid.
He said: “It’s tough. I won F2, which is the last step before F1. Everybody is looking at the Formula 2 drivers in the F1 paddock, which ones are going to drive in F1 for the next few years.
“I feel like I was considered, but not that much and that hurts quite a lot because, for me, I gave my best. I just tried my best. I won the championship in the last race but it’s a tough championship, like IndyCar, like every other championship on the planet.
“It’s really competitive and there [are] a lot of good racing drivers. So yeah, it’s tough. It’s a tough position because also I’m young and one of my dreams was to be an F1 driver.
“Right now, of course, I just want to drive. I just want to drive race cars. I had a good taste of IndyCar, and IndyCar is, for me, that’s what I want to do.
“Right now, I’m in this position. I just want to find a drive and enjoy what I’m doing.”
Theo Pourchaire was replaced by Nolan Siegel after he was axed by Arrow McLaren
Pourchaire impressed on his IndyCar debut at Long Beach by making up 11 positions – the most of any driver on the track – to finish in 11th.
He finished in 22nd at Barber and following the announcement that he would drive for Arrow McLaren for the remainder of the season, he registered 17th at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.
After the Indy 500, Pourchaire recorded his first top 10 finish in IndyCar and his best result in the category to date at Detroit, finishing in 10th, followed by 13th at the Grand Prix of Road America.
But with McLaren then confirming the signing of Siegel, the Frenchman was dropped by the team.
Yet he returned to McLaren at Toronto after Rossi suffered an injury in Friday’s practice. Pourchaire went on to finish the race in 14th.