McLaughlin: “For Penske, I could drive a wheelbarrow”

Where and how are you experiencing your confinement?

I'm in my apartment in Brisbane (Australia. Editor's note) with my wife and our dog Chase. We have our own gym and simulator for virtual races, so I stay fit and very busy.

Already well before confinement, you were an experienced simracer. Is virtual part of your training routine?

I've been training on the iRacing platform for around 10 years. I think it's a great exercise to train your high-speed vision. And then I have a lot of fun racing against big names and touching on so many categories while staying at home. Every day, I'm on my simulator. Because, besides theIndyCar and Supercars, I also participate in the virtual competitions of Pro4 Trucks (Pick-Up. Editor's note) and Dirt Modifieds (ovals on dirt. Editor's note).

Can the IndyCar iRacing Challenge help you prepare for your IndyCar debut?

These races allow me to better understand strategy, but also to learn how to race in a pack on an oval, and more generally to discover what an IndyCar race requires. For the moment, I have only done tests (Rookie test in Sebring and collective tests in Austin. Editor's note), so any experience, even virtual, is welcome.

Especially since you won at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway…

It was pretty amazing to take the “Pirtek” to Victory Lane. From the last race interruption, I had to deal with a damaged front wing. We were in the right place at the right time.

During offseason testing, you were able to meet your Team Penske teammates. What did you learn from their contact?

Whether it's Simon, Josef, or Will (Pagenaud, Newgarden and Power. Editor's note), they all helped me. At Sebring, Simon performed amazingly. He helped me understand what I needed and convey my feelings to the engineers to improve the car. From then on, I felt much more confident.

How much does the Team Penske organization differ between IndyCar and Supercars?

It's pretty similar, except the IndyCar team is much bigger. In Australia, the team has 45 people. At Sebring, there were at least as many just looking after my car. But the processes are quite similar.

Going from Supercars to IndyCar is a truly unique trajectory…

Yes. Basically, the only similarity between a Supercar and an IndyCar… is the windshield! In Supercars, the car is powerful but has very little grip, less effective brakes and less aero. However, adapting to IndyCar hasn't been as difficult as you might think. I found it quite natural, although the pressure on my neck during the first few rounds was really intense. I have already worked a lot to strengthen it.

What are the habits that you will still have to get rid of once in IndyCar?

It will mainly be about understanding how different the braking is and adapting to the aero. And then I started working hard to lose weight so I could be more comfortable in the cockpit. Since the start of the year, I have lost 12 kilos!

How frustrating is it to have to wait until at least July 4, the new date for the Indianapolis GP, to make your IndyCar debut?

Motorsport is not the priority today. There are more important matters, and I'm happy to be able to take a step back and have a dream job.

It looks like 2020 will be your last season in Supercars. Is the idea to be involved full-time in IndyCar from 2021?

It has absolutely not been decided yet that 2020 will be my last season in Supercars. Our discussions did not go that far. Either way, it's clear that IndyCar represents a big opportunity. All I can tell you is that for Penske, I could drive a wheelbarrow!