Anticipation. Excitement. Hope.

Maybe some nerves? Nope.  

The No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet has generated plenty of hype over the offseason and for good reason. The car will be piloted by the newest Arrow McLaren driver David Malukas, the crew will feature a new car communicator and the car will feature a brand new livery. 

We still have to wait until we see the car on track, but today, we get to show off the livery of the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. 

According to David, “[The No. 6 livery] kind of gives a little bit of like a cyber-punkish type of vibe.”  

Should we add cyberpunk to the list of adjectives in the header? 

The No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet stands out against the team line up with one thing the others don’t have: blue. (Spoiler alert) The NTT DATA blue must be what gives David his new cyberpunk attitude, right? 

Let’s look.  

David has been nothing but ecstatic to be wearing papaya this coming season. The feeling intensified even more when he saw his ride. 

“It’s definitely something I could get along with and will be very proud to be driving around,” he said.  

For being the new guy, David’s outgoing attitude, positive energy and his pride in being a part of Arrow McLaren is already evident in everything he does. While adjusting and joining a new team comes with its challenges and demands, David is fitting right in with the other drivers, crew, engineers and, of course, the social media department.  

“Everybody at the Arrow McLaren team treats me like family and it’s just been incredible,” David said. 

He’s in the shop multiple times a week, partook in driving vintage F1 cars at the 2023 Velocity Invitational and, on top of his normal meeting schedule, David is also driving the car during pit stop practice to get more in-tune with the crew.  

He’s been busy, to say the least. While the intense schedule has been a culture shock coming from his previous team, David already feels as if he is achieving his childhood dreams. The first few months on the job have made him even more excited for what the team can achieve during the season in his new home. 

“We want to get performances; we want to be competitive and I'm very excited to do that and have the machinery and people to do so. So, it's going to be a lot of fun, looking for some championships, some rewards and just some good results at the end of the day.”  

Results are something David’s Car Communicator and Strategist is looking forward to helping him and the team achieve. Working with David’s new enthusiasm is something the Robert Gue is excited for this coming season.   

“It just helps having a new face and somebody with a fresh set of eyes,” Robert said. “This is my 15th year with the team, so I’m probably stuck in my ways in some regard. Sometimes you just don’t see it until your eyes are open to it.”  

While Robert is new to David, he is clearly not new to the team, nor this role. He has an impressive history, which includes working with Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Kanaan and others, as car communicator during their Indianapolis 500 runs with Arrow McLaren. So, you can imagine how going from chatting with Juan Pablo Montoya over the radio to David is going to be fun and a challenge for him. 

To put the communicator role simply: Robert is responsible for communication between the timing stand and the car, in addition to making decisions on strategy for the race and how it plays out.  

“[David] showed some flashes of brilliance here and there last year, but I think he can raise his game and be more consistent. And, as he quickly gels with the team and become more comfortable, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with early on.” 

From the team to his communicator and to certainly his fans, David is not lacking in support and hope. If you follow his social channels, you can see how much love he has online (Even last year, we saw his passionate fans at the racetracks, from afar of course). He doesn’t feel any extra pressure from the amount of love and attention he’s receiving on social media. 

decided to try my old cut…..let’s just say I’m happy I found out my hair curls😭 pic.twitter.com/7ykvgJOSxI

— David Malukas (@malukasdavid) November 21, 2023

“I see the fans and everybody, and to me, it's just like kind of a community of people that I can relate to,” David said. “They just feel like they're all just friends of mine, and we can all just share new stuff together. If anything, it just reduces the pressure to me in a weird way.” 

Social media and David’s fanbase have built a positive and creative outlet for the No. 6 driver. It has become a place where stressful scenarios can be turned into something funny to laugh about with everybody online.  

“[The fans] are incredible,” said David. “I mean, if anything happens, they are on my side and always backing me up. So, anything the fans and all the love, I love it. It helps keep me calm and gives me confidence. It gives me confidence to go out there and just do me cause that's what I’m here to do.”