Theo Pourchaire gets 100% honest about Arrow McLaren axing him for Nolan Siegel: "You suddenly have nothing anymore"

Theo Pourchaire has opened up on the IndyCar-sized void that Arrow McLaren left in his life in 2024. The team axed him only one month after signing him, midway through the season, replacing him with Nolan Siegel.

McLaren had brought Pourchaire on board as a substitute to replace an injured David Malukas, who fractured his left hand before the season began. The French driver piloted the No. 6 entry beginning with the Long Beach GP, kicking off with a respectable P11 finish.

In May, McLaren gave Pourchaire a full-time contract, only to replace him with Indy NXT's Nolan Siegel in a bombshell move. In a recent interview with The Race, the 21-year-old shared what he went through during that challenging time.

"Last year, when I was not racing anymore after my six IndyCar races, I had nothing," Pourchaire admitted. "And as a racing driver, it's really tough. When you're every year fighting at the top of a championship, trying to win races, and then you suddenly have nothing anymore, it's quite tough. So, I don't want to be in this position again."

Pourchaire had given up a full-time drive with Team Impul in the Japanese Super Formula series when the IndyCar opportunity came his way. When McLaren let him go, he was left without any active racing commitments, except for being a F1 reserve driver for Sauber. However, the British team did recall him for a one-off appearance at the Indy Toronto race weekend after Alexander Rossi sustained a broken thumb.

When Arrow McLaren made the driver swap in June, Tony Kanaan (now Team Principal of the team) had admitted that Theo Pourchaire "didn't do anything wrong." The team didn't want to miss out on signing a talent like Nolan Siegel, and that was what motivated their decision.

Despite the whole fiasco, Pourchaire has forgiven Arrow McLaren's move and moved past it.

"What happened with McLaren, I totally understand, and now it's past and I have nothing against them," he concluded.

Theo Pourchaire counts on Simon Pagenaud's guidance for an IndyCar return in 2026

109th Running Of The Indianapolis 500 - Practice and Previews - Source: Getty

In 2025, Theo Pourchaire is driving in the European Le Mans series with Algarve Pro Racing and has inked a deal with the Stellantis Group of brands. He is also a reserve driver for Peugeot, a Stellantis brand, in the World Endurance Championship.

In May this year, 2016 IndyCar champion and 2019 Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud joined Pourchaire's management team. The retired Pagenaud had been following his French compatriot's racing journey and jumped at the chance of helping the 21-year-old in his pursuit of racing opportunities in America.

"Simon will help me to progress, not only as a driver, but also on a personal level – in my physical and mental preparation, both for endurance racing and for single-seaters," Pourchaire said, via Autohebdo. "I also continue to work with Julien Abelli, my manager since 2016. It's a real team effort. Simon will help me develop my career in the United States."

Pagenaud, who raced for Team Penske, has been coaching Scott McLaughlin for the Indy 500 for the last two years. Theo Pourchaire will be his second driver 'client' as both look to solidify their respective careers of mentoring/management and driving in IndyCar and America.