While all avenues appeared to point in the direction of Formula E and sportscars, Theo Pourchaire's recent announcement that he had enlisted 2016 IndyCar champion and 2019 Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud to advise him in the US has certainly piqued interest.
As first reported by The Race's Sam Smith, Pourchaire recently became a contracted driver for the Stellantis group of brands - which includes Maserati, who he has tested for in Formula E, and Peugeot, which he is a reserve driver for in the World Endurance Championship. His 2025 racing programme is sportscar based, with Algarve Pro Racing in the LMP2-led European Le Mans Series.
A foot back into the North American racing scene via Pagenaud may well be a bid to have all his options on the table and be little more than an exploratory move. But equally, if he was nailed on to race for Peugeot, Maserati/DS or both in FE/WEC, then signing a North American advisor would be an odd move indeed.
It's also not yet clear how Formula E frontrunner Nick Cassidy likely moving to a Stellantis brand from next season onwards after making the decision to leave Jaguar will impact Pourchaire's chances of a full-time race seat in the same group.
Pourchaire raced six times for McLaren last year in IndyCar. He was thrown in to one of the toughest street circuits at Long Beach for his debut without any testing, and earned a contract with McLaren before it got rid of him a month later in favour of Nolan Siegel - who it claimed was a better long-term option despite Pourchaire being just over a year older than the then 19-year-old Indy NXT racer.
After a one-off return for McLaren in Toronto, Pourchaire has been focused on a European-based future again, potentially until now.
Asked if signing with Pagenaud has made North America a more important path for him, or if it was just exploring his options, he told The Race in an exclusive interview: "I think the best for me would be to have a few options.
"Last year when I was not racing anymore after my six IndyCar races, I had nothing. And as a racing driver, it's really tough.
"When you're every year fighting at the top of a championship, trying to win races and then you suddenly have nothing anymore, it's quite tough.
"So, I don't want to be in this position again. And the opportunity I have currently with the Stellantis group and Peugeot is awesome. And that would be really cool to drive for them.
"But I think IndyCar is an amazing championship as well. Simon tried both - he tried endurance, he tried IndyCar. He was really good in both of them.
"He finished on the podium in Le Mans with Peugeot, close to winning it. So he can really guide me and tell me what are the best options and let's see, but he is going to help me for sure."
Pagenaud - whose career pivoted towards future IndyCar glory not long after after Peugeot withdrew from endurance racing in 2012 - hasn't competed in IndyCar since a massive crash at Mid-Ohio in 2023 ruled him out for an extended period. For the last two years he's been an advisor to Penske's Scott McLaughlin for the Indy 500.
Speaking of which, Pourchaire attended the 500 and is known to have had meetings with teams regarding possibilities for 2026. Juncos Hollinger appears to be the team most interested as of now, but further talks at the Indy 500 will likely have provided other options, too.
"It's tough to get an opportunity in IndyCar," he adds. "But if you have contact early with some teams, it makes it easier for sure - and yeah, let's see."
The attraction of a US return has been aided by the "amazing" fans who backed Pourchaire last year when he lost his ride so soon after having been confirmed on a deal to race to the end of the season - especially as many deemed him to be a better prospect than his replacement Siegel.
Pourchaire says "what happened with McLaren, I totally understand and now it's past and I have nothing against them", so he has forgiven and moved on.
Looking into a deal now with the potential for getting it done before next season would mean Pourchaire could be prepared a lot better than he was when turning his first laps in an IndyCar in Long Beach practice. "We could see more of my potential, for sure", he says.
Indeed - but what he did last year with no preparation will also give a lot of teams the knowledge that Pourchaire can be thrown in an IndyCar under pressure and deliver.
Last season's IndyCar rookie of the year Linus Lundqvist (a pole-winner and podium finisher in 2024!) being on the sidelines shows how difficult it is to secure your place on the grid - and it's no given Pourchaire would command a seat.
And if it was a choice between driving for Stellantis or a team in the second half of the grid in IndyCar, in that scenario we likely won't see Pourchaire back in the US.
He's exploring his options and showed last year he is good enough to drive for a team which is in contention for the top 10 every week and race wins during the season.
Pagenaud could certainly sway Pourchaire's chances. He is very popular in the IndyCar paddock and it feels like he's perfectly suited to being a driver advisor, agent, intermediary, whatever you want to call it.
And he and Pourchaire have already struck up a rapport.
"I met Simon last year, on Instagram before my first IndyCar race, he wished me good luck, which I didn't expect at all," Pourchaire explains.
"And I was like, that's really cool because he is an IndyCar legend. One of the best French racing drivers in history because he won the Indianapolis 500, he won the IndyCar championship, so I was really hyped by this message.
"I think it was in April when I reached out to Simon. I just texted him and I said 'I'm looking for someone to help me have more contacts in America and someone that can help guide my career and I think you're the best person possible'. And he directly said, 'of course, I think we can work together'."
Pagenaud knows Stellantis and he knows IndyCar. He's going to be a massive help for Pourchaire wherever he ends up.
Everything has been pointing to a Peugeot WEC drive and/or a Stellantis Formula E drive - and Pourchaire is making his Le Mans 24 Hours debut this weekend in the LMP2 class - but this Pagenaud move has at least shown the 2023 Formula 2 champion and long-time Formula 1 protege is considering all his options before making a decision.
There's unfinished business left in IndyCar.
