Rumor: Malukas #1 pick by Ganassi to replace Palou

Dale Coyne Racing’s rookie sensation, David Malukas, is rumored to be Ganassi Racing’s #1 pick to replace Alex Palou in 2023, assuming Palou gets out of his Ganassi contract and moves to McLaren Racing.

Malukas should have won Rookie Of the Year at this past year’s Indy 500 for his solid drive, but instead, for political reasons to garner free media headlines, IndyCar gave the award to its ‘pet’ driver Jimmie Johnson who plastered his car into the wall late in the race when he ran out of talent….again.

But hey, this is IndyCar.  We digress.

Speaking of the eve of his sensational maiden podium in St Louis, Malukas revealed that he is far from a certainty to stay at DCR next year.

“Oh, there’s some interesting things, but I’m not certain how much I can say right now,” said the 2021 Indy Lights runner-up about his plans for 2023.

“Right now, the arrows point to staying with Dale Coyne Racing for another year, which I’d also really like.

“I feel like, in this seat, we’ve gotten so much better every single race, and I feel like a whole other season, we’d be that much better.

“But there’s still different options here and there, but a lot of it is ‘hush hush.’”

They are hush-hush because of Ganassi lawsuit against Palou and McLaren for breaking a contract Ganassi has with Palou.

Besides Ganassi, Malukas could take Colton Herta’s seat at Andretti Autosport if the rumors are true out of Spa that Herta is being eyed by the AlphaTauri team for a F1 role.

Mark C. reporting for AutoRacing1.com