One of the most exciting young racers in IndyCar is at risk of missing the season opening race next month on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.
David Malukas will undergo surgery on Tuesday afternoon for a fractured hand he suffered while mountain biking mountain over the weekend. The surgery was confirmed by Arrow McLaren on Monday evening.
He is set to make his debut for the team this season after spending the previous two campaigns with Dale Coyne Racing.
Arrow McLaren is currently unsure of how much time Malukas will need to recover. In addition to the season opener, which begin on March 8, the team also has two preseason tests, one to further develop the hybrid engine on February 20 and a full field session the next week at Sebring International Speedway.
It’s also unknown if the team will call in a reserve driver for those tests or if teammates Alexander Rossi and Pato O’Ward will simply pick up the slack for the third car. The team will also need to explore options in the case that Malukas is unable to take the green flag at St. Petersburg and/or the non-points $1 Million Challenge at The Thermal Club.
Similar injuries in racing have netted recovery times from two weeks to two months. It all depends on the severity of the injury.
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.