“Ready as ever,” David Malukas adapts to Team Penske

David (Malukas) has joined Goliath! That's a fair way to sum up the Chicago native's arrival at Team Penske, after spending a season with AJ Foyt Racing in 2025. This arrival at the pinnacle of the sport was far from certain in 2024, when he had to withdraw from his Arrow season. McLaren Following a broken wrist sustained during a mountain biking trip, Makukas has fully recovered and will now replace Will Power, a two-time champion, in the same car, number 12, that the American will drive this year.

Accustomed to team changes (after two seasons with Dale Coyne, Malukas spent a few races with Meyer Shank before completing a full season with Foyt), the new Team Penske driver was able to take advantage of his team's impeccable facilities to undergo physical and mental preparation and familiarize himself with his environment before committing to the 2026 season on March 1st.IndyCar.

“This year, I think it’s going to be faster than ever with any other team, thanks to all the preparation we’ve done and all the resources I have at my disposal. As the season approaches, I feel more ready than ever, and I can’t wait to start racing and give it my all, because I think we’re going to make a big leap forward right from the start. That’s what I think, but even if it’s not the case, it won’t be the end of the world. I know we’ll get there eventually, just like I’ve done with previous teams.”

Announced in September, David Malukas has therefore had several months to adapt to his new team, having previously been with Penske's partner team, Foyt, in 2025. This allows for an assessment, as February approaches, of his adaptation and the welcome he has received from the team that has won the Indianapolis 500 twenty times, a record.

“I feel really comfortable. As I said, these guys welcomed me with open arms. They were very friendly. We already get along very well, we work a lot on the data and also with the team members, we work with them every day on many things about the car.” he stated before explaining the changes that come with joining a top team: « Everything is impeccable. It's truly the pinnacle. You can see that everyone, regardless of their position, is giving their best and working incredibly hard, and you understand why Team Penske consistently achieves such great results. It's a pleasure to be part of this environment, and I'm eager to see what it will bring me and how it will transform me.

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