Callum Ilott will stand in for the injured David Malukas in next week’s non-championship event at the Thermal Club.
Malukas, who suffered an accident while cycling in February, also missed the opening round of the IndyCar season last weekend at St Petersburg.
After signing to join McLaren alongside Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi for the 2024 season, Malukas dislocated his left wrist in the accident. McLaren called Ilott up to replace Malukas for the first race.
They have now confirmed he will now participate in a test at the Barber Motorsports Park on Monday and race at the Thermal Club.
Ilott has raced in IndyCar for the last two seasons with Juncos Hollinger, before being replaced at the team by Romain Grosjean, leaving him out of a drive. Juncos Hollinger have a partnership with McLaren, who called on him to substitute for Malukas.
The 25-year-old qualified 16th last weekend at St. Petersburg and finished 13th, the lowest finishing of the three McLaren drivers. Ilott said it “wasn’t a bad race” for him at the season-opener.
“Honestly, it’s a shame we didn’t get a bit more out of it,” he said after the race. “Pato in P2 and Alexander in P8, so I think it was good that we could all move forward, and the number six car was quick this weekend and we can all come away happy with some points.”
The ‘$1 million Challenge’ non-championship event at the Thermal Club resort in California on the weekend of March 22nd-24th will see drivers competing in a series of heats before a final race to decide the winner of the $1 million prize. While IndyCar has held official tests at the Thermal Club previously, it is the first time that the series will race there.
The next round of the IndyCar championship will be at Long Beach on April 21st – one month after the Thermal Club event. Ilott will not be available for that round as it clashes with the World Endurance Championship’s Six Hours of Imola, where he is due to race for JOTA Porsche.
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