Scott McLaughlin is no longer the new kid at Indycar school, so much so, he’s confidently calling the shots like a senior who sits at the back of the bus.
A genuine motorsport superstar in this part of the world, McLaughlin’s time as an Indycar apprentice is now over and he’s feeling right at home ahead of his third lick at the iconic Indy 500 – a race he’s adamant he and his car are capable of winning.
McLaughlin, who left Australia after his third consecutive Supercars championship victory in 2020 to chase his dream of racing in the US, has qualified down in 14th for the 107th running of the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday morning (NZT), but believes he can deliver New Zealand’s second victory in the race, following Scott Dixon’s 2008 win.
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McLaughlin, already a race winner this season, is feeling refreshed, focused and confident heading into the race that is often termed; the greatest spectacle in racing.
He might be nowhere near the experience of Brazilian Hélio Castroneves who, this year, will start the race for a 23rd time or Dixon, who has held the lead for an all-time record of 665 career laps, but McLaughlin believes he has learnt enough about The Brickyard to be a serious chance in his Team Penske Chevrolet.
“I genuinely feel really comfortable and at home and at ease here, not only in America and in Indycar but also at the 500 itself,” McLaughlin said.
Darron Cummings/AP
Scott McLaughlin says he’s no longer the new kid on the block in the Indycar paddock.
“It’s just not as foreign anymore,” he said. “I know a lot of people in pitlane, I’m not the new kid at school anymore.”
In his two previous attempts, McLaughlin was 20th on debut in 2021 and crashed out last year when running 11th going into the final phase of the race.
“It’s a bit of a blessing in disguise in some ways having that shunt last year,” McLaughlin said.
“It’s really taught me a lot of lessons about this place and about how the car feels right before disaster, in some ways.
“I understand the timing and the race a lot more than I did, probably even more than I did 12 months ago.”
The only predictable thing about an Indy 500 is that it will be unpredictable, but McLaughlin now knows from experience how to avoid or at least minimise mistakes.
“It’s a tough old race, so many things can go wrong,” he said.
In 2021 McLaughlin was caught speeding in the pits, a mistake that likely cost him a top 10 finish in his rookie year but even the great ice man, Dixon, made that mistake last year and it probably cost him a second Indy 500 victory.
“This stuff can happen to anyone,” McLaughlin said. So if you do get given a chance, you’ve got to take it.”
Michael Conroy/AP
Scott McLaughlin says the 200 laps at speeds up to 370km/h makes the Indy 500 the hardest race to win.
“But I have no doubt in my mind that if we don’t make any mistakes and we make the right calls in pitlane, we’ll find ourselves at the front.”
“We have the pace to win this race,” McLaughlin said. “I think we’ve had really good speed all season, we just haven’t executed the way that we’ve wanted to.”
From the green to the chequered flag usually takes just under three hours and McLaughlin says no matter where you are in the field, every driver’s brain is working overtime for every one of the 200 laps of the 4km oval.
“It’s mentally draining, it’s not physical at all, it’s just mentally draining,” McLaughlin said.
A winner of the Bathurst 1000 in 2019, McLaughlin doesn’t believe that race is even comparable to the mental stress of the solo 500 miles at speeds of up to 370kmh.
“This is one of the hardest races anyone could ever try just from a purely mental game, endurance game, it’s a toll.”
According to McLaughlin, the 2023 edition will likely go down to the wire, so his goal is to quietly push forward to be hunting around the top five heading into the final stage of what is likely to be a minimum seven stop race.
“We’ve got the car speed to forge our way through the pack.
“I just feel like mindset-wise, if there’s a chance for me take it, I feel like I can take it for sure.”