INDYCAR MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 13, 2023

David Malukas

Press Conference

Q. You're getting a chance to drive with a team, but you're also testing a new device. How do you separate and learn from the two?

DAVID MALUKAS: Well, I mean, at the end of the day it's really good for me. I get to learn new hybrid stuff, get to be a part of the new Arrow McLaren team, get a feeling of the car.

But, yeah, it's a bit of a challenge trying to figure out this feels different. Is it because of the hybrid changes or because of the new team?

Talking with Rossi and the other driver, just kind of trying to figure out, hey, this is actually something that sounds like a setup of ours compared to something this is new.

Q. After being with Dale Coyne Racing the last couple years, how difficult is it to learn a new environment, new team, personnel, procedures, new everything?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yes, there's many new people that I feel like we've been doing a pretty good job getting to know everybody, getting connections. The way we've been doing the structures, it's been different engineers and performance engineers going to each test. Kind of getting a feel for everybody and making relationships, building chemistry.

The main thing is just trying to get used to all the new tools and resources that I have at hand. Arrow McLaren gives a lot, and I'm just trying to make sure I can use all of it to help on my side of things. It's been very good.

Q. Who is your crew, your engineer, chief mechanic? Who are the guys?

DAVID MALUKAS: Still undecided. For this test I have Will as my main engineer and Brian as my performance engineer.

Q. Obviously these are important tests for feedback. Going into your third year, does it feel like an honor to be able to give that feedback?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yes, it's does feel good. Will actually earlier was saying in the car, Have you ever done Firestone testing before? I'm like, No, they don't like me (laughter).

No, it's good now. It feels good. They're trusting me. I can give the feedback. From my side I just get to do laps, more and more laps. At the end of the day the more practice, the better.

Q. How does the hybrid feel to you so far?

DAVID MALUKAS: I find it very good. I've been enjoying it. It has more tools for the driver. I feel like it can kind of separate the drivers from the top to the -- the best to the worst on when it comes to hybrids. It's another tool, time to regen, deploy, set up passes. I think it's going to have a bit of a play here at the 500.

Q. McLaren has so many more resources to do things with from where you came from. How as a driver do you look at that in terms of, Wow, I've got all these things now that I didn't have before?

DAVID MALUKAS: Exactly. I walked in, and every are corner I look around, I'm like, Whoa. Shining gold, so much stuff (laughter).

Coming in, I don't even know how to use it all. But thankfully they have a good crew. Everybody has been super friendly, introducing everything to me, making me get comfortable. Specifically Tony Kanaan. Tony Kanaan has been showing me the ropes and saying like, Hey, this is how you use this resource, this is what I think you should do, just getting me comfortable on getting used to all these spoiled resources that they keep giving me.

Q. How intrigued were you yesterday with Kyle Larson's rookie test?

DAVID MALUKAS: It was very good. It was very impressive. He's all over when it comes to racing. That's kind of been his motto of trying many different sorts of things. It feels good to see him in Indy. I think it's going to be good for INDYCAR, it's going to be good for the 500 and of course Arrow McLaren.

Q. (Question regarding trust and having resources available.)

DAVID MALUKAS: Of course, I mean, yeah, I have really good teammates, Rossi and Pato, who have shown a lot of success in the series. For me to come in and them put me already into their first few hybrid testings, it feels good. It feels like they trust my word, they ask me all the same questions, what I think about the car, the new hybrid stuff.

From a driver's standpoint, my confidence just goes through the roof. I trust them, they trust me. I know going into next season we're going to do what it takes to get up to the top.

Q. You're a race driver. As a kid, was yesterday a little bit of a hero moment when you saw Jeff Gordon?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I saw him. Oh my God, it's Jeff Gordon. Then I kind of stood in the background. I don't know. I was just observing. It was so cool to even see him in person. Like right there, that's him. It was pretty crazy. It was very cool for me.

Q. Are you moving or have you moved to the Indy area? You were in Chicago.

DAVID MALUKAS: Yes, so the past few weeks have been busy on trying to find a place. Finally found it. I will be closing December 12th. All moving in very quickly and I'm very excited.

Q. Anything else fun that you've done in the month off?

DAVID MALUKAS: Well, everything has been super fun. Just getting introduced to Arrow McLaren. I had my first content day for Arrow McLaren. Rossi does not like it at all. From my side, I thought it was pretty fun. It's a good group of people.

Me and Pato have a lot of energy. Rossi doesn't. I don't know, it's like a father with his two sons kind of relationship. I think it's quite funny from a content standpoint.

Q. Any travel for fun like that?

DAVID MALUKAS: It's just been traveling for testing and coming here down to Indy. It's all kind of been...

Q. No travel for fun?

DAVID MALUKAS: What do you mean? It's all fun (laughter).

Q. Not racing travel.

DAVID MALUKAS: I mean, after Laguna, of course everybody had their off-season break. I went to Hawaii to visit my sister because she lives there, so...

Q. The donuts for the team was a big thing. You have a considerable amount of people now.

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I'm going to have to wait for my paycheck because there's a lot of people for donuts. Once I get the paycheck, then the donuts are going to start arriving.

Q. Cash only at Long's Donuts.

DAVID MALUKAS: Okay, a lot of cash. Find an ATM, as well.

Q. Do you know how many more days in the car you'll have this off-season between any more manufacture testing you're doing or actual private testing?

DAVID MALUKAS: Not a specific number, no. It's all kind of been still pretty hectic. They've already kind of had things scheduled out. I don't really know myself because I haven't managed to look, anything from two weeks out.

Q. How much do you perceive tires being a thing? More horsepower is going to be more downforce, a little bit more tire falloff, too. Do you foresee over a stint fuel saving but you have to be cognizant of tires as well?

DAVID MALUKAS: I think so. I mean, it kind of depends. I think we'll see kind of the end of today once we start doing longer runs, being in traffic, seeing how it's going to play out.

It all depends on when you want to use that extra power. If you want to save the tire, use it on the straight, not through the corner. You're kind of saving the tires.

I think it all is going to be a bit of a play. We'll see.