🇺🇸 David Malukas

David Malukas is an elite professional racing driver competing in the IndyCar Series for Team Penske, where he drives the No. 12 Chevrolet. His career began in ADAC Formula 4 in 2017 and progressed through Pro Mazda and Formula Regional Americas before establishing himself in Indy NXT, where he won seven races across three seasons with HMD Motorsports with Force Indy. He joined IndyCar in 2022 and has remained in the series through 2026.[1]

In 79 IndyCar starts across five seasons, Malukas has taken nine podiums, primarily on road and street courses; 34 of his starts came on ovals. His career through the junior categories was stronger, with 12 wins and 49 podiums across 169 starts before reaching IndyCar. In his time with HMD Motorsports in Indy NXT, he was the team's standout performer, recording 18 podiums and the bulk of its race wins. He has beaten Alex Palou, the five-time IndyCar champion, multiple times in head-to-head racing, as well as Pato O'Ward, the 2018 Indy NXT champion.[2]

Malukas operates in a field dominated by established and elite professionals. His regular opponents at IndyCar level include Rinus VeeKay and Kyle Kirkwood, both established or elite professionals who have won championships in their own right; he remains closely matched with both. His record against stronger drivers shows he has raced successfully against elite company, though his nine podiums across a full IndyCar career reflect a driver who typically runs mid-field in a grid where multiple champions compete regularly.