Axed McLaren driver clarifies comments after 'disgusting' claim

Theo Pourchaire has clarified comments made in an interview following his departure from McLaren's IndyCar squad. 

Reigning F2 champion Pourchaire was signed by McLaren initially as cover for the injured David Malukas, but when his contract was terminated, the team opted to sign Stake F1 junior Pourchaire in his place, although Callum Ilott drove at the Indianapolis 500. 

However, before Laguna Seca, news broke that Nolan Siegel would be in the #6 going forward, with Pourchaire claiming in an interview with French publication AutoHebdo that “at first, I was very surprised, I didn’t understand, I thought it was fake.

“We had only signed a few weeks before. I was disgusted.

“The team ended up calling me for a minute, around 11am that same day, the day before my planned departure for Laguna Seca, to tell me that I was excluded from the program. They didn’t give me the specific reasons.”

Pourchaire has now moved to clarify those comments, insisting that they have been taken out of context, labelling it "grossly inaccurate" of what he did say. 

Theo Pourchaire statement

“I’ve read the article published on AUTOhebdo this week, and I’m disappointed in how grossly inaccurate my words and comments portrayed my interview,” Pourchaire wrote on social media.

“While I was surprised by McLaren’s decision to take me out of the car ahead of Laguna Seca, we ended on amicable terms.

“Sure, it’s disappointing not to be racing with the team, but they’ve held up and respected all areas of the contract, and Zak [Brown], Gavin [Ward] and Tony [Kanaan], along with the rest of the team, have been fully supportive of me and my wish to get back into an IndyCar or other racing [car]. 

“There’s no question on McLaren’s stability in its partnerships and their funding, so for AUTOhebdo to include that in my interview, it’s absolutely false.

“I’m appreciative of the time I had with the team, there are no hard feelings, and I hope this helps correct the perception there’s been about the team and myself.”