HOW TO WATCH MCLAUGHLIN’S INDYCAR DEBUT
How to watch Scott McLaughlin’s IndyCar debut – Photo: LAT
Scott McLaughlin’s up-coming IndyCar Series debut will be shown live on Fox Sports.
By MARK FOGARTY
McLaughlin is due to start a fourth Team Penske entry in the season-ending Grand Prix Of St Petersburg in Florida early on Monday morning AEDT.
As well as the race, Fox Sports will show all practice and qualifying from very early Sunday morning AEDT.
The live coverage will also be streamed on Foxtel’s Kayo digital sports service, available on fixed and mobile devices.
McLaughlin flew to America on Monday and has been preparing on a simulator near Team Penske’s headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina, since he arrived there on Tuesday.
He will fly south to St Petersburg, near Tampa on Florida’s western Gulf Coast, on Friday before his first laps in the #3 Shell V-Power Dallara/Chevrolet on Saturday.
The outing is regarded as a prelude to the 27-year-old New Zealander’s switch to IndyCar next year after dominating Supercars for the past three seasons with DJR Team Penske.
Live coverage of McLaughlin’s debut in the ferociously competitive American open-wheel series will start on Fox Sports 506/506HD with practice from 1.55-3.00 am AEDT on Sunday, followed by qualifying from 6.05-7.30 am AEDT.
The St Pete GP will air from 5.30-7.35 am AEDT on Monday. The race is due to be run over 100 laps of the testing 2.9 km street track.
Having wrapped up his third straight Supercars title, McLaughlin is looking forward to the challenge of his maiden IndyCar start.
“This weekend’s race in Florida has been a long time coming and I can’t believe it’s finally here,” he said. “I’m like a kid at Christmas!”
“The support from everyone at home has been incredible. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and I’ll be giving it my all this weekend.”
Fox Sports’ and Kayo’s coverage will come from American network NBC, with expat Aussie Leigh Diffey leading the commentary team.
McLaughlin will race alongside Team Penske regulars Will Power, Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud.
Newgarden is an outside chance to retain his IndyCar title, trailing McLaughlin’s compatriot Scott Dixon by 32 points.
Dixon is favourite to clinch his sixth IndyCar crown after leading for much of the disrupted season, but 2017/19 champion Newgarden has come on strong in recent races.
McLaughlin starred in pre-season testing and was due to contest multiple races until the coronavirus pandemic derailed the planned program.
He faces a tough test in the St Pete street fight, but regardless of how he performs, it is understood he is locked in with Team Penske in IndyCar next year.
His despatch to the States will almost certainly coincide with Penske withdrawing from Supercars, handing ownership to local team boss Ryan Story under the revived Dick Johnson Racing banner.
There will be no free-to-air TV coverage of the GP Of St Petersburg. A Foxtel subscription is required to watch Fox Sports, while Kayo is available on a 14-day free trial.
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