Scott McLaughlin is an established IndyCar driver and a true title contender after a few seasons with Team Penske.
The V8 supercar champion has proven that it is possible to make the switch from stock cars to single-seaters in a short space of time.
Few have achieved what he has in a short time span, including a career-best finish of third in IndyCar in 2024.
He claimed multiple wins and would have had a shot at the championship had it not been for a disqualification from the Grand Prix of St Petersburg – but how exactly did his journey start out?
Scott McLaughlin remembers panicking early in IndyCar career
Casting one eye back to his debut season in 2021, there were plenty of ups and downs, resulting in a 14th-place finish.
Years two and three brought fourth-place finishes and a dramatic improvement in consistency before 2024 brought about a near-title charge.
Speaking to James Hinchcliffe on IndyCar’s YouTube channel, he revealed that his first full-time season was a bit of a struggle.
“I think not panicking in the early stages. Especially after I finished second at Texas. After that, I went through a pretty bad run because I just thought ‘I’m there now’.
“Not getting ahead of myself, but there was a point and that’s the standard now. But I didn’t understand, and Will [Power] and Josef [Newgarden] and Simon all told me to just ride the wave. I didn’t understand the wave.”
Can McLaughlin win it all in 2025?
McLaughlin’s main two competitors for an IndyCar championship finished ahead of him this season, with Alex Palou in first and Colton Herta second.
Competing against the rival Chip Ganassi and Andretti teams, Penkse arguably have the best line-up and overall performance.
Whether it’s himself or teammates Will Power and Josef Newgarden, all are probably going to be in the top eight of the standings again next year.
READ MORE: Why Josef Newgarden feels the 2024 season was ‘disastrous’ despite winning his second Indy 500
It’s just about which one of them can be most consistent, enjoy the most luck, and deliver the most speed across the season.
McLaughlin’s steady development suggests that he may be the best fit for that task, but he may need to find an extra gear to beat the imperious Palou.