McLaughlin ‘glad’ Cindric hasn’t written off IndyCar debut

Scott McLaughlin says he’s happy that Team Penske President Tim Cindric has not yet nixed a possible IndyCar Series debut this year.

McLaughlin was originally scheduled to compete in the Indianapolis 500 precursor on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

However, the postponement of that event, several revisions to the Supercars calendar, and a government-mandated 14-day quarantine period on his return to Australia made the debut infeasible.

McLaughlin’s hopes of making his IndyCar Series debut have since been rekindled with recent revisions to the Supercars calendar.

Supercars have brought the season’s end at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 forward to October 15-18.

Following that, the IndyCar Series will conclude with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg come October 23-25 on the part-street part-airfield course.

With no government-mandated quarantine periods on his arrival in the USA, McLaughlin could make it over in time to race.

However, the 27-year-old has previously indicated Team Penske boss Roger Penske has mandated his own 14-day quarantine period for staff arrivals in the USA.

Last week McLaughlin said he was awaiting direction from Cindric and Penske.

“I think when we get through the next bit and I speak to Roger and TC a bit more about what’s possible – like I said before, we know that it’s free in the calendar – whether they think it’s right or not, we’ll figure it out,” said McLaughlin.

“I’m just glad Tim hasn’t said no in the press. That’s really all I’ve read a huge amount (about) or gone any further on the subject,” he told Speedcafe.com