David Malukas apologizes for 'childish' criticism he made against Chevrolet

Team Penske's driver, David Malukas, apologized for his childish criticism directed at Chevrolet following a recent race. As Team Penske's lead car during a Milwaukee event, Malukas' vehicle briefly stalled on the final restart, resulting in a second-place finish. Despite Chevrolet's cars finishing from 1st through 7th in the final race of the day, it was Malukas' fourth runner-up finish of the 2026 season and the sixth of his IndyCar career after 78 starts.

After the race, Malukas expressed his disappointment with Chevrolet, stating, "Chevy just, they let us down." He explained the plenum events, or overboost issues, that occurred every time he left the pit lane, causing him to lift off the throttle in first and second gear. However, just a day later, Malukas walked back his comments with an apology posted on social media.

In his apology, Malukas admitted that his words were immature and a result of frustration. He praised Chevrolet's efforts, acknowledging that they had made significant improvements to his car from Race 1 to the final race, increasing its performance. He also addressed a fan's claim that Chevrolet was forcing him to remain silent and denied any such pressure, stating, "No one told me anything."

Malukas further engaged with fans who suggested he had been ordered to make the apology, insisting that he had come to the decision himself out of guilt. He emphasized that he didn't want to be put down, even when putting in his best effort. Malukas also addressed another fan's claim about his car's multiple engines, attributing the frequent engine changes to his own crashes rather than Chevrolet's responsibility.

Here is a video of the critical restart onboard the No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet.