MCLAUGHLIN PUTS INDYCAR FIRST
Scott McLaughlin has shelved the idea of future Bathurst 1000 starts for the time being, determined to channel all his efforts into a long career in the American IndyCar Series.
The three-time Supercars champion has come on in leaps and bounds in his second season of open wheel racing overseas – he scored a maiden win at St. Petersburg and sits third in the standings after five rounds.
Rumours that the Kiwi will return to Australia later this year for the Bathurst 1000 have already been quashed, however now McLaughlin has explained that any future starts are in doubt while his focus in on IndyCar.
“I need to put my best foot forward here,” McLaughlin said.
“I’ve achieved what I need to achieve in Australia. I love that race, I’d love to be back there when the time’s right but what I’ve had to unlearn and really put in the IndyCar basket, I’ve had to drop some things from Supercars driving style wise to help me in IndyCar.
“It has taken so long to get rid of that, I want to make sure that I’m 100% head in the game for this car over here.
“For me this is where I want to build my future.”
McLaughlin won the iconic Mount Panorama enduro alongside Alex Premat in 2019 and would be a massive drawcard for the event given his newfound international success.
As such its no surprise that Shell V-Power Racing went knocking in its pursuit of big-name drivers for this year’s Great Race, but McLaughlin’s changing priorities became clear when he turned down the opportunity to race in Australia again.
“It was a decision that didn’t come lightly. I had to think about it a bit, talk to Karly, my mom and dad and other people close in my inner circle,” McLaughlin said on turning down a drive in 2022.
“Straightaway after Laguna Seca, getting on a plane going home and then spending test days and stuff relearning how to drive a car that realistically isn’t going to move me forward in the future, because it’s not my main job, I had to really think about what I was doing there.
“There was not nothing bad, Ryan (Story) was fully understanding of my decision as was Dick and the whole team.
“But it’s a lot, I need to make sure that I’m 100% here and I’ve always been that way, I’m all in when I put my best foot forward. It was a tough decision, but a decision I made ultimately for my career.”
While McLaughlin is putting together the foundations for a long career in America now, the unpredictability of motorsport dictates that he won’t completely close the door on returning to The Mountain down the line.
“I’m not going to say never,” McLaughlin concluded.
“Right now, in this part of my career in America, while I’m still trying to get my feet on the ground, I think the best thing for me is to focus on what I’m doing here.”
McLaughlin will take on the famous Indianapolis 500 for Team Penske this weekend, starting from 26th position.
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