Coyne appoint part-time trio while McLaren confirm Ilott for season-opener

Dale Coyne have announced three drivers who will share two of their cars for the upcoming IndyCar season.

McLaren have also announced Callum Ilott as a substitute for David Malukas in this weekend’s opening round.

Coyne confirmed one of their cars will be shared by Jack Harvey, who made his IndyCar debut in 2017 and has driven for Meyer Shank and RLL. Harvey will appear in 14 of this year’s races, handing his car to rookie Nolan Siegel for the other four.

Siegel placed third in Indy Nxt last year and is continuing to compete in the series. He will step up to the top tier at four rounds where his schedule permits.

Another rookie, Colin Braun, will drive the team’s second car this weekend alongside Harvey. Braun will also appear for the team in the non-championship race at Thermal Club two weeks later. Coyne is yet to confirm further plans for the second car which it runs in conjunction with Rick Ware Racing.

McLaren driver Malukas will miss this weekend’s season-opening round on the St Petersburg street course in Florida following surgery to repair the ligaments he tore in his left wrist after a cycling accident last month.

His substitute Ilott spent the last two seasons driving for Juncos Hollinger Racing but was left without a drive when the team dropped him at the end of the year. McLaren has already used him as a test driver since Malukas was injured.

Malukas’ recovery rate will determine whether a replacement is needed for subsequent races. McLaren has not confirmed its plans for the Thermal Club event or the second championship round at Long Beach on April 21st.

However Ilott will not be available for the latter. He made his debut in the WEC Hypercar last weekend with JOTA, finishing second in Qatar, and is due to drive in the series’ Imola round on the same weekend IndyCar is in Long Beach.

McLaren said it “continues to evaluate options for its driver line-up for future tests and races as David recovers.” Ilott will drive their number six entry alongside regular drivers Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi.

Ilott finished 16th in the IndyCar series last year, his second campaign as a full-time driver and first in a two-car team, which he shared with rookie Agustin Canapino.

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