McLaughlin fizzing for rookie season
It’s hard to comprehend back here, but in IndyCar, Kiwi ace is a newbie,
Scott McLaughlin, the rookie.
It doesn’t sound right in this part of the world for a three-time Supercars champion and Bathurst winner but when McLaughlin hits the grid in the opening race of the IndyCar season tomorrow (NZ time), that’s exactly what he will be.
The season opener, at Barber Motorsports Park, won’t be McLaughlin’s first for Team Penske in IndyCar, following his debut in a one-off race at the end of last season.
That outing, for a jet-lagged and underprepared McLaughlin, just days after racing in the Bathurst 1000, ended with an unspectacular crash.
The 27-year-old freely admits he has much to learn, but he is much more accustomed to his surroundings on the eve of his rookie season than he was last October.
‘‘I’m feeling as prepared as I can
be,’’ McLaughlin said.
He has been ‘‘soaking everything up like a sponge’’ in recent months as he prepares to line up against one of the most experienced and successful drivers in the field, six-time champion and fellow Kiwi Scott Dixon.
When McLaughlin made his debut on the streets of St Petersburg, Dixon did enough to win his sixth IndyCar championship and this year, as McLaughlin is trying to find his feet, Dixon will be looking to equal the legendary A.J Foyt’s record of seven championships.
The transition from Supercars
to Indy is unheard-of and McLaughlin is buzzing just to be on the IndyCar grid.
‘‘This is a dream for me, really,’’ he said. They may not be teammates but Dixon, who has been closely following McLaughlin’s Supercars career for years, has told Stuff he is hugely excited to see a fellow Kiwi joining him in the open-wheel category.
It might not be in his rookie season but Dixon is convinced McLaughlin can make an impact at the pointy end of the field.
In terms of early-season results, McLaughlin is not sure where he will land but is determined to get better and build experience.
‘‘I don’t really know what to expect.
‘‘I think we’ve done some really good work as a team in the offseason and from what I understand the team is in a positive spot but you don’t know with testing right now where everyone is at.’’
For the 2021 season, Team Penske is moving from a three-car team to a four-car operation.
McLaughlin is learning all he can from team-mates Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Simon Pagenaud – all genuine championship contenders.
‘‘For me right now it’s about doing as many laps as I can, getting as much experience as I can under my belt and learning from my three great team-mates as much as I can.’’
In his first three rounds, made up of four races, McLaughlin will get a taste of a road course, a street circuit and an oval before heading to the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for firstly the Grand Prix and then the 500.
As daunting as that may seem, McLaughlin wants to do it all to become familiar with his car under different conditions as quickly as possible.
‘‘Anytime I get laps in these
cars, it’s better.
‘‘It’s wild, but it’s exactly why I came to America for ... I came here to race nearly every weekend on all different disciplines that I haven’t done before.’’
What was a pipe dream just a couple of years ago and a lifelong ambition is now just hours away from becoming reality for the Kiwi racer.
‘‘It’s business time now and I really need to get into it,’’ McLaughlin said.