Pourchaire on his future: “I don’t have any money to put on the table”

Formula 2’s youngest traipse winner when he triumphed in Monaco at appropriate 17 years mature, Theo Pourchaire as soon as was as soon as one in every of the most long-established possibilities on tips on how to Formula 1. After winning the F2 title at age 20 but on his third strive, the Sauber reserve driver was as soon as unable to search out a force on the head of motorsport, because the Swiss-based completely team kept an unchanged line-up of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

Forays into Tremendous Formula and IndyCar this year were short-lived for the impecunious Frenchman but made for an eventful marketing campaign, and a somewhat frustrated but desperately optimistic Pourchaire longingly anticipates extra opportunities whereas gratifying his contemporary F1 responsibilities, as he told Motorsport.com in an odd interview.

How has your year been total?

Theo Pourchaire: “I imply, it was as soon as a odd year, as an instance. I’m mature to grab what… I imply, what I will likely be doing per annum. I’m mature to preserve in a single championship, to include plenty of races and to win races. But that is rarely any longer the case this year.

“It is somewhat of a particular year, in spite of all the pieces. I’m able to also question that with the F2 title and no longer being in a reputation to force again in this championship. I needed to search out solutions, to search out a championship the attach to force, and it was as soon as no longer easy. So, yeah, it is a odd year, but you recognize, it was as soon as good experience to boot.”

Let’s launch up with Tremendous Formula. How did you delight in it there? And how mountainous was as soon as the misfortune? Will we realize how mountainous of a misfortune it is?

TP: “It is a mountainous misfortune, because of, to begin with, it is primarily far from Europe. It is tough to snarl in Japan, because of it is a really particular country. You know, no longer plenty of oldsters snarl English there. So for me, it was as soon as no longer easy to snarl with engineers, with the mechanics, with the team members, and to originate myself a fetch reputation there.

“But I primarily loved my time. The auto was as soon as improbable to force. And not using a doubt quickly automobile, primarily. I imply, I drove easiest in Suzuka. But Suzuka is improbable display screen, so I obtain it is the most easy display screen in Japan, and one in every of the most easy on the planet. So I loved plenty. Sadly, in spite of all the pieces, the first traipse was as soon as no longer wonderful. The efficiency was as soon as no longer glorious, but, you recognize…

“It was as soon as tough to search out to boot the funds additionally from my facet. So when the opportunity with Arrow McLaren came, I couldn’t… I couldn’t remark no. I was as soon as, in spite of all the pieces, primarily contented to receive this opportunity. All of us know this sport is basically costly, and this opportunity was as soon as glorious for me on the time.

Theo Pourchaire, ITOCHU ENEX TEAM IMPUL

Photo by: Masahide Kamio

But then, include that you might perhaps perhaps perhaps perhaps even be feeling form of any regrets about no longer being in a reputation to primarily reap the advantages of the work that you might perhaps perhaps perhaps perhaps also honest absorb executed in Japan?

TP: “I don’t absorb any mountainous regrets but, in spite of all the pieces, that is an improbable championship, Tremendous Formula, to boot as IndyCar. I primarily loved driving in these championships. But  I’m additionally at a reputation the attach I don’t absorb any mountainous sponsors following me. I don’t absorb any… I don’t absorb any money to place on the desk. I could perhaps perhaps perhaps absorb to be honest. So I’m appropriate a Formula 2 champion, you recognize, who is attempting to search out something to include for the time being. I’m appropriate attempting to search out a seat and appropriate attempting to search out a force. So, as I talked about, straight away, I’m attempting to search out something.”

Any sure indicators from IndyCar? How mighty time are you spending in talks with teams, perchance sponsors?

TP: “As I talked about earlier than, this championship is basically awesome individually. You know, the total IndyCar community was as soon as primarily form with me, the drivers, the championship organisers, team members from the complete teams. Seeing that you might perhaps perhaps perhaps perhaps even be a driver coming from Europe, F2 champion, coming in IndyCar I obtain was as soon as primarily sure for everyone there, and primarily sure for me to boot, because of I primarily loved the automobile, primarily loved the tracks and the fights, all the pieces was as soon as primarily, primarily good. I loved my time there.

“I had a unparalleled opportunity with Arrow McLaren, but sadly we… I imply, I anticipated to force a small bit longer, but as I talked about, in spite of all the pieces I’m disappointed to no longer be in a reputation to include the season there with them, but I thank them again for the opportunity. It was as soon as at the moment primarily indispensable to absorb that form of opportunity for me, because of otherwise I’m no longer sure I’d were being in a reputation to continue driving.

You did no longer know mighty about IndyCar likely earlier than going there, but now having a model of it, does it seek for delight in right here’s the path you are looking to prefer to jog now?

TP: “It is evidently for me a fetch option, because of, I’m calm the reserve driver for [the Sauber] F1 team. So I, evidently, would delight in to absorb my probability in some unspecified time in the future in F1. I’m right here. I worked primarily laborious. I did the outcomes I desired to include. So I appropriate need a probability now – that might perhaps perhaps perhaps be awesome.

“And if no longer, IndyCar evidently is, for me, as good as F1. I primarily loved it. It is a really unparalleled championship. And the truth that I’m able to steal pleasure in the back of the wheel is basically vital for me. So for that, IndyCar is top one. So let’s ogle. I’m in talks with a few teams, but I’d delight in to glean a probability there. There are a few diversified championships to boot, but IndyCar, I primarily delight in.”

Theo Pourchaire, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images

But you and F1. What desires to happen for you to glean a probability?

TP: “That is an honest ask. I’m asking myself this ask too, every day. I do no longer know. I did my easiest on the display screen. Useless to order, some other folks remark that winning the championship in the third year in F2 is rarely any longer having a seek for unparalleled, but I won it when I was as soon as twenty years mature. I’m the youngest ever traipse winner in F2, in F3 – so I attach no longer prefer to converse the leisure on the display screen. Simply need a probability. That is it. I do no longer know.”

Enact that you might perhaps perhaps perhaps perhaps even be feeling that folks omit about that? That that you might perhaps perhaps perhaps perhaps even be 20.

TP: “I obtain so. I’m 21 now, but calm younger, you recognize! Young sufficient to be there, to be in competitors, so… but I obtain other folks omit primarily quickly in this sport, especially in this world, everyone forgets primarily quickly what that you might perhaps perhaps perhaps perhaps also include, and what I did in the previous years. And it was as soon as no longer a really very prolonged time ago, you recognize, it was as soon as a few months, a few years, perchance two to three years ago, when I started in F3. So it is form of unhappy, but I’m calm right here, and I deserve my probability.”

And additionally, you ogle guys coming from F2 which didn’t absorb the championship of their obtain…

TP: “From the beginning air, evidently, if you are in my reputation, it appears to be unfair, delight in I obtain it is unfair for [Felipe] Drugovich, as an instance, he won the title, and… you recognize, it is delight in this. It is the F1 world. I’m appropriate contented to be right here again in the paddock. And as I talked about, primarily hope I’m able to absorb my probability in some unspecified time in the future. I’m prepared to present all the pieces. I’m appropriate obsessed on this sport. Ready to present my easiest. I don’t demand for the leisure. I appropriate must… I appropriate demand for a seat and a guidance wheel and, yeah, my probability in a automobile.”

Théo Pourchaire, Arrow McLaren

Photo by: Arrow McLaren SP

All of the Audi project, how fervent are you to be piece of the model forward for this organisation?

TP: “Useless to order, it appears to be very promising for the team. I obtain it is indispensable project and a really mountainous project. So I am hoping this also can assist the team to grow. For sure, it is form of of a tricky length, but I’m sure the team will give a steal to – everyone’s working primarily laborious, and with the assist of Audi it might perhaps perhaps actually perhaps be better. I’m ravishing sure.

“There might perhaps be additionally a law switch soon, so it might perhaps perhaps actually perhaps be better. And I’m sure that can be a dream for me to be piece of this form of mountainous project, you recognize, this form of legendary stamp as Audi, and I’m prepared to force for this form of team. You know, I’m younger, but I’m prepared for this. I obtain they sure [know] I’m there. If they need me – I’m right here. Ready.”

How did you manage to order that sure throughout that tough year?

TP: “It is tough, you recognize. I’m no longer continuously, evidently, very sure delight in this, no longer continuously smiling. But I’m contented that I was as soon as in a reputation to win plenty of races in the previous months, previous years, won the F2 championship. And I had the opportunity to force in Tremendous Formula, force in IndyCar. I tested in F1. I drove in F2, in spite of all the pieces, for three years. I obtain I’m one in every of the most easy drivers to absorb had the opportunity to force in the complete easiest autos on the planet. So for that, I’m grateful. And you recognize, attempting to preserve sure, I’m sure the most easy is but to approach.”

WEC, Formula E?

TP: “Why no longer? As I talked about, straight away I’m in a reputation the attach I’m attempting to search out something to include, and the World Patience Championship is basically having a seek for good. I’m watching nearly every traipse. Le Mans is a traipse I’d delight in to include in some unspecified time in the future. It is a dream to win it evidently, delight in every diversified driver, delight in the Indianapolis 500, delight in the Monaco Enormous Prix.

“So having a seek for, attempting to search out alternatives there to boot, and in Formula E to boot. I imply, it is a competitive championship, a really diversified form of motorsport, because of it is electric, because of it is a really diversified arrangement to force. I already had a test in Formula E, back in 2022 when I did some trend for the contemporary generation. And it is a tricky, tough class. So if I’m going there, this might perhaps perhaps be plenty of labor to include, and a undeniable arrangement to force and arrangement to work. So yeah, let’s ogle. But as you talked about, these championships are the target, evidently.”