You Ask The Questions: David Malukas

I have heard from the FOX broadcast that you wear the wrist tape all the time because it feels normal now. However, they mentioned at Portland that you had a different brace on your hand. How has this affected you not only at Portland but throughout the season? – Jack Edmonson

David Malulas: "Yes, I started wearing a new kind of wrist brace, a carbon brace I worked on from the team just because the wrist kind of had flare-ups post mid-Ohio, and ever since then it's definitely been more of an annoyance but something that I'm used to and have been working around. I would say it's similar to how the end of my 2024 season was where, again, the wrist at that state was at a much more difficult position but with the wrist brace and driving with it, so I'm kind of used to it, we just had to move some things around.

"But has it had some effect to my driving and racing? Yes, probably. For sure it hasn't been as consistent, or I guess not having the strength that I wanted to have, but it's something that ever since post-Mid-Ohio has just been getting better and better. I do believe post-DC, Milwaukee being an oval, it's not gonna have any effect, and I feel like after that it's gonna be back to 100% to finish the season off at Laguna."

When you did [reality TV show] Kart Life in 2015, did it open up contacts inside the IndyCar paddock? Would the journey to IndyCar have happened without it? – Mark Schutte

DM: "It did not open any contacts and the IndyCar journey probably still would have happened without it. I think the only thing that came out of Kart Life was me just being, I guess, used to cameras at a younger age, but other than that there wasn't many connections."

Do you have any interest in taking part in NASCAR Cup competition in the future as a one-off? – Jacob Morgan

DM: "For sure, I think that would be super cool. I've never raced in anything I would say is more like normal weight or heavy weight, because I've just been in purely open-wheel when it comes to racing, so I would love to obviously expand that branch and just try that as like a one-off thing, that would be very cool."

Malukas can picture himself having a go at NASCAR in the future

Photo by: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Months after the unfortunate finish at the Indy 500, where do you see your mistakes, through the prism of time? What could have been done better to avoid this super dramatic and unfortunate finish for you? – Radostin Georgiev

DM: "I looked through so many race starts in the past and also learned a lot from my 2025 running and being up front, and used all of that to prepare me for 2026 to get the correct positioning. Throughout all the videos I saw, at least with this Dallara car that we have now, I saw that whoever's leading into Turn 3 has won the race, and outside of that I couldn't find anything that told a different story.

"So, I wasn't expecting obviously that sort of finish and ending. But it was also a special day with the way the wind direction was, having a headwind going onto the front straight, but also Felix [Rosenqvist] making the incredible move by going two-wide on all four corners of the track, and who knows what could have happened, but he probably built up momentum and made that move done.

"But I think back many things of trying to stay in the second lane through [Turns] 3 and 4 to kind of give dirty air to Felix, but then Marcus [Armstrong] could have gone a little bit quicker and maybe he would have got the run. It's a tough position to be in, and when I look back, I think the only thing I could have done differently is maybe possibly some hybrid adjustments.

"I did regen and deploy through [Turns] 3 and 4, maybe if I didn't regen at all, I wouldn't have any deployment coming out of [Turn] 4 but maybe it would have been better to keep that momentum. So, that would be the only thing, but other than that, it was kind of a little bit luck of the draw on what positions you want to take."

Malukas lost the Indy 500 victory to Rosenqvist, ever so narrowly

Photo by: Penske Entertainment

What does David Malukas have now that the driver who arrived in IndyCar a few years ago didn’t? – Ryan DeCosta

DM: "Resilience, confidence, determination, motivation. I mean, I would say all of the above just from a mental standpoint.

"I've changed so much the past two years, I would say it would be the big learning curve, big change point for me. 2024, going through the wrist injury, everything I went through, I think it prepared me for Team Penske, prepared me to be who I am today. And getting the results that I've been getting, obviously still not enough, I really want to go for that first win, but we've had that consistency. We're [fourth] in the championship. Who knows where things are gonna finish?

"But no matter what happens these last few races, I'm super happy with where the season's been for the first season in Team Penske, and again it wouldn't have happened without everything I went through ‘24 and even through ‘25 with the wrist still having some residual stuff. So, yes that's what would be what was different."

Driving IndyCars for Roger Penske is a rare, golden opportunity that only a lucky group of drivers have been presented with. Did you feel extra weight on your shoulders knowing that consistent under-performance isn’t tolerated for very long when driving for an organisation as prestigious as Team Penske? – Josh Crawford

DM: "Of course. A lot of pressure. A lot of pressure on myself, but nothing I haven't done before. No matter the occasion, ‘24 coming back, ‘25 going with AJ Foyt, ‘26 now with Team Penske, they all have different pressures in different ways. And for me the pressure mounting, it's all equal because I put a ton of pressure on myself; just that's just the way I've been my whole life. Thankfully, I actually feel that I find more performance when I'm under pressure compared to being more comfortable.

"So yes, I was under a lot of pressure and a lot of overthinking in pre-season and doing a lot of work, but like I said, when you're under pressure and you're nervous because you care about something, you're gonna put in that extra work. And I think I put in that extra work and we've had this this really good start to the season, and just I guess the season as a whole has been very strong. Obviously, again, I'm still looking for more, still looking for that first win and continuous wins beyond that, but every single race weekend I'm learning so much."

Malukas emphasises how much he's been learning in IndyCar

Photo by: Penske Entertainment

What is your current street car? – Mark Gresock

DM: "Chevy Tahoe, baby. Best car out there. Highly recommend."

With how diverse the IndyCar schedule is, would you like to see IndyCar return to its roots and have a dirt race on the calendar? – Andrew Tlenge

DM: "I would like to try a dirt race out first before that comes into the question to see if I'm any good at them or not (laughs). And if I was good then sure, if not then I don't know, maybe not."

When will you finally win? – Don Dahler

DM: "I've been asking that myself as well. But I don't want it to... because already I can feel it's creeping in and putting a lot of pressure on myself. And honestly, it leads to more mistakes because you're making moves, you're making decisions that are just aggressive and not needed because you want that win.

"I believe that the win will come when everything happens. To get a win, obviously you need the talent, you need the proper strategy, but you also need a little bit of luck in there. And right now, we're missing a little bit of luck, but everything else has been there. I just believe that as long as we keep doing what we're doing, that win will come. But trust me, I am waiting for it as much as anybody else would be looking out from an outside perspective. That's the one final kind of nail in the coffin I need to accomplish and I can't wait to get it done."