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In-stadium commentary at Mt SmartMcLaughlin revved up for Indy 500 despite tumultuous build-up
AP • May 23rd, 2025 1:00 pm
Photo: AP
Angry but motivated, Scott McLaughlin will have a new strategist and engineer as he tries to win the Indianapolis 500.
The former Supercars champion will have to work with a new team because of a rules infraction that concerned a part on Team Penske cars other than his own.
It has left him angrily defensive and utterly motivated, given the part in question that led to such serious repercussions for one of the most powerful teams in auto racing appears to have done nothing for performance, but was rather an alteration to a spec part primarily for aesthetics.
"Smart people in the paddock know there was no gain, you know? It's frustrating that this is blown up like it has," McLaughlin said during the Indy 500's annual media day on Thursday.
"It's cost three people that I'm very close with their jobs. But overall, my view on it right now is just to focus forward."
He has no choice. The race is Monday (NZ time).
That's one week after Team Penske drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power had their cars pulled from the qualifying line over modifications to the attenuator, a safety part that cannot be changed for any reason.
IndyCar has since said there has been no evidence that the seams filled on the piece provided a competitive advantage, yet the series nevertheless responded with serious penalties: the cars were sent to the rear of the 33-car field, they were stripped of points and handed heavy financial penalties.
McLaughlin, who had crashed in a practice session ahead of qualifying, was spared the sanctions given to his teammates when the attenuator found amid the wreckage of the No.3 car had not been altered. He will start 10th.
He was still penalised, though, despite team owner Roger Penske, who also owns IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500, firing team president Tim Cindric and Team Penske officials Ron Ruzewski and Kyle Moyer on Wednesday.
Moyer had been serving as the strategist on McLaughlin's car.
"Ultimately, those three guys are friends of mine and have done a tremendous amount in my career," said McLaughlin, who drove for Penske in Supercars in Australia and New Zealand before coming to IndyCar.
"I guess you could say there's a sadness from my perspective. At the end of the day, I drive for Roger Penske. I respect the decision."
McLaughlin will now have Ben Bretzman as his strategist and Malcolm Finch as lead engineer on Sunday.
