David Malukas
David Malukas is an American open-wheel racing driver who competes in the IndyCar Series for Team Penske. Born to Lithuanian immigrant parents in Chicago, he climbed through junior ranks before finishing second in the 2021 Indy Lights championship with seven victories. He made his IndyCar debut with Dale Coyne Racing in 2022, scoring his first podium that year at Gateway. After an off-season mountain biking injury sidelined his contract with Arrow McLaren in 2024, he rebounded with Meyer Shank Racing and A. J. Foyt Racing. He finished second at the 2025 Indianapolis 500 for Foyt, which opened the door to Team Penske in 2026 as the successor to Will Power in the No. 12 car. Malukas went on to record his first series pole at Phoenix and claimed another runner-up finish at the 2026 Indianapolis 500.
David Malukas earned back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Indianapolis 500 in 2025 and 2026 before taking over the No. 12 Chevrolet for Team Penske. The Chicago-born open-wheel driver advanced through the Road to Indy ladder with his family-backed HMD Motorsports program. He later raced for Dale Coyne Racing, Meyer Shank Racing, and A. J. Foyt Racing.
Family and background
Malukas is the only son of Henry and Daiva Malukas, who immigrated to Chicago from Telšiai, Lithuania, in 1991. His parents built a freight business that grew to several hundred trucks. Henry also competed in amateur racing at Road America, sparking his son's interest in the sport at an early age. Malukas grew up in the southwest suburbs of Chicago and speaks both English and Lithuanian fluently.
He displays the Lithuanian flag alongside the American flag on his race cars. While eligible for dual Lithuanian citizenship, he has remained an American citizen. In 2015, he appeared in the television series Kart Life, which followed youth drivers in national karting tournaments. He moved to Indianapolis in 2024 and later relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, ahead of the 2026 racing season.
Road to Indy junior career
Malukas earned international karting titles, including wins at the 2013 Rotax Grand Finals Mini Max and the 2015 IAME International Final in the X30 Junior category. He transitioned to cars in late 2016 in the Formula 4 UAE Championship with Rasgaira Motorsports. He then split the 2017 season between ADAC Formula 4 in Germany with Motopark and the U.S. F2000 National Championship with BN Racing. He took a podium at Road America during his first U.S. F2000 weekend.
He advanced to the Pro Mazda Championship in 2018, winning three races and finishing fourth overall. In August 2019, his father acquired BN Racing's Indy Lights assets to establish HMD Motorsports. When the 2020 Indy Lights championship was cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, Malukas entered Formula Regional Americas, scoring two wins and fifteen podiums to finish second. He returned to Indy Lights in 2021. In a season-long title battle against Kyle Kirkwood, Malukas recorded seven victories, six pole positions, and sixteen podiums, ending the year as the championship runner-up.
IndyCar entry and injury setback
Malukas entered the IndyCar Series full-time in 2022 with Dale Coyne Racing in partnership with HMD Motorsports. He earned his first podium at Gateway in August 2022, finishing second behind Josef Newgarden. He returned to Gateway in 2023 and took third place.
In September 2023, Arrow McLaren signed Malukas on a multi-year contract for the 2024 season. In February 2024, he tore ligaments and dislocated his left wrist during a mountain biking crash. Surgery followed immediately. With his recovery timeline uncertain after four missed rounds, McLaren released him in April 2024 before he had started a race for the team. Meyer Shank Racing signed him in June 2024 to replace Tom Blomqvist, and he completed ten races that season.
Podiums with Foyt and Team Penske
Malukas signed a multi-year contract with A. J. Foyt Racing for 2025. At the 2025 Indianapolis 500, he started seventh and finished second. The result was Foyt's best Indianapolis 500 finish in decades.
In September 2025, Team Penske signed Malukas to replace Will Power in the No. 12 car starting in 2026. He earned his first IndyCar pole position at Phoenix Raceway in early 2026 and finished third in the race. At the 2026 Indianapolis 500, he took second place again, finishing 0.0233 seconds behind Felix Rosenqvist in the closest finish in event history.
Quick facts
- His father Henry founded the HMD Motorsports racing team after acquiring the open-wheel assets of BN Racing in 2019.
- He won the Mini Max category at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in 2013 and the X30 Junior class at the IAME International Final in 2015.
- He set an Indy Lights single-season record with 16 podium finishes during his 2021 runner-up campaign.
- He missed the start of the 2024 IndyCar season after tearing wrist ligaments and dislocating his left wrist in a February mountain biking accident.
- Arrow McLaren released him in April 2024 before he was able to make a race start for the team.
- He drove to second place in the 2025 Indianapolis 500 from seventh on the starting grid for A. J. Foyt Racing.
- He took over the No. 12 Team Penske entry in 2026 following Will Power's departure from the seat.
- He finished second in the 2026 Indianapolis 500 by 0.0233 seconds behind Felix Rosenqvist, the closest margin in the race's history.
- He was featured in the 2015 docuseries Kart Life, which followed young American kart racers.
- He carries the Lithuanian national flag alongside the American flag on his cars in tribute to his parents' heritage.
FAQs about David Malukas
How old is David Malukas?
David Malukas was born on September 27, 2001.
What is David Malukas's nationality?
He is American, born in Chicago, Illinois. He is of Lithuanian heritage and places both the United States and Lithuanian flags on his race cars.
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