Formula 2's youngest race winner when he triumphed in Monaco at just 17 years old, Theo Pourchaire once was one of the hottest prospects on the way to Formula 1. After winning the F2 title at age 20 but on his third attempt, the Sauber reserve driver was unable to find a drive at the pinnacle of motorsport, as the Swiss-based team kept an unchanged line-up of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.
Forays into Super Formula and IndyCar this year were short-lived for the impecunious Frenchman but made for an eventful campaign, and a somewhat frustrated but desperately optimistic Pourchaire longingly anticipates more opportunities while fulfilling his current F1 duties, as he told Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview.
How has your year been overall?
Theo Pourchaire: "I mean, it was a strange year, let's say. I'm used to know what... I mean, what I will be doing each year. I'm used to stay in a single championship, to do a lot of races and to win races. But that's not the case this year.
"It's a bit of a special year, of course. I could expect that with the F2 title and not being able to drive again in this championship. I had to find solutions, to find a championship where to drive, and it was not easy. So, yeah, it's a strange year, but you know, it was good experience as well."
Let's start with Super Formula. How did you like it there? And how big was the challenge? Do we understand how big of a challenge it is?
TP: "It's a big challenge, because, first of all, it's really far from Europe. It's tough to communicate in Japan, because it's a very special country. You know, not a lot of people speak English there. So for me, it was not easy to communicate with engineers, with the mechanics, with the team members, and to make myself a strong place there.
"But I really enjoyed my time. The car was amazing to drive. Really quick car, really. I mean, I drove only in Suzuka. But Suzuka is amazing track, so I think it's the best track in Japan, and one of the best in the world. So I enjoyed a lot. Unfortunately, of course, the first race was not very good. The performance was not perfect, but, you know...
"It was tough to find as well the budget also from my side. So when the opportunity with Arrow McLaren came, I couldn't... I couldn't say no. I was, of course, really happy to receive this opportunity. We all know this sport is really expensive, and this opportunity was perfect for me at the time.
But then, do you feel sort of any regrets about not being able to actually benefit from the work you've done in Japan?
TP: "I don't have any big regrets but, of course, that's an amazing championship, Super Formula, as well as IndyCar. I really loved driving in those championships. But I'm also at a place where I don't have any big sponsors following me. I don't have any... I don't have any money to put on the table. I have to be honest. So I'm just a Formula 2 champion, you know, who is trying to find something to do at the moment. I'm just trying to find a seat and just trying to find a drive. So, as I said, right now, I'm trying to find something."
Any positive signs from IndyCar? How much time are you spending in talks with teams, maybe sponsors?
TP: "As I said before, this championship is really awesome in my opinion. You know, the whole IndyCar community was really kind with me, the drivers, the championship organisers, team members from all the teams. Seeing you're a driver coming from Europe, F2 champion, coming in IndyCar I think was really positive for everybody there, and really positive for me as well, because I really enjoyed the car, really enjoyed the tracks and the fights, everything was really, really good. I enjoyed my time there.
"I had a great opportunity with Arrow McLaren, but unfortunately we... I mean, I expected to drive a little bit longer, but as I said, of course I'm disappointed to not be able to finish the season there with them, but I thank them again for the opportunity. It was at this time really crucial to have that kind of opportunity for me, because otherwise I'm not sure I would have been being able to continue driving.
You didn't know much about IndyCar probably before going there, but now having a taste of it, does it look like this is the path you want to go now?
TP: "It's for sure for me a strong option, because, I'm still the reserve driver for [the Sauber] F1 team. So I, for sure, would like to have my chance one day in F1. I'm here. I worked really hard. I did the results I needed to do. So I just need an opportunity now - that would be awesome.
"And if not, IndyCar for sure is, for me, almost as good as F1. I really enjoyed it. It's a really great championship. And the fact that I can take pleasure behind the wheel is really important for me. So for that, IndyCar is top one. So let's see. I'm in talks with a few teams, but I would love to get an opportunity there. There are a few other championships as well, but IndyCar, I really love."
But you and F1. What needs to happen for you to get a chance?
TP: "That's a good question. I'm asking myself this question too, every day. I don't know. I did my best on the track. For sure, some people say that winning the championship in the third year in F2 is not looking great, but I won it when I was 20 years old. I'm the youngest ever race winner in F2, in F3 - so I don't have to prove anything on the track. Just need an opportunity. That's it. I don't know."
Do you feel that people forget about that? That you're 20.
TP: "I think so. I'm 21 now, but still young, you know! Young enough to be there, to be in contention, so... but I think people forget really quick in this sport, especially in this world, everybody forgets really quick what you can do, and what I did in the past years. And it was not a long time ago, you know, it was a few months, a few years, maybe two to three years ago, when I started in F3. So it's a bit sad, but I'm still here, and I deserve my chance."
And also, you see guys coming from F2 which didn't have the championship in their bag...
TP: "From the outside, for sure, if you are in my position, it looks unfair, like I think it's unfair for [Felipe] Drugovich, for example, he won the title, and... you know, it's like this. It's the F1 world. I'm just happy to be here again in the paddock. And as I said, really hope I can have my chance one day. I'm ready to give everything. I'm just passionate about this sport. Ready to give my best. I don't ask for anything. I just want to... I just ask for a seat and a steering wheel and, yeah, my chance in a car."
The whole Audi project, how keen are you to be part of the future of this organisation?
TP: "For sure, it looks very promising for the team. I think it's very important project and a really big project. So I hope this can help the team to grow. Of course, it's a bit of a difficult period, but I'm sure the team will improve – everybody's working really hard, and with the help of Audi it's going to be better. I'm pretty sure.
"There's also a regulation change soon, so it's going to be better. And I am sure that will be a dream for me to be part of such a big project, you know, such a legendary brand as Audi, and I'm ready to drive for such a team. You know, I'm young, but I'm ready for this. I think they sure [know] I'm there. If they want me - I'm here. Ready."
How did you manage to stay that positive throughout that difficult year?
TP: "It's tough, you know. I'm not always, for sure, very positive like this, not always smiling. But I'm happy that I was able to win a lot of races in the past months, past years, won the F2 championship. And I had the opportunity to drive in Super Formula, drive in IndyCar. I tested in F1. I drove in F2, of course, for three years. I think I'm one of the only drivers to have had the opportunity to drive in all the best cars in the world. So for that, I'm thankful. And you know, trying to stay positive, I'm sure the best is yet to come."
WEC, Formula E?
TP: "Why not? As I said, right now I'm in a position where I'm trying to find something to do, and the World Endurance Championship is really looking good. I'm watching almost every race. Le Mans is a race I would like to do one day. It's a dream to win it for sure, like every other driver, like the Indianapolis 500, like the Monaco Grand Prix.
"So looking, trying to find options there as well, and in Formula E as well. I mean, it's a competitive championship, a really different kind of motorsport, because it's electric, because it's a very different way to drive. I already had a test in Formula E, back in 2022 when I did some development for the new generation. And it's a tough, tough category. So if I'm going there, it will be a lot of work to do, and a different way to drive and way to work. So yeah, let's see. But as you said, those championships are the target, for sure."
