Scott McLaughlin hints at 'big boost' as Indy 500 preparations are ramped up

Scott McLaughlin is the reigning pole sitter at the Indy 500, and fans would be looking out for the Kiwi as the qualifying day lies on the horizon. Reflecting on his early practice runs, the 31-year-old expressed his eagerness to get in the qualifying mood as the cars will be running on higher boost in the upcoming days.

Over the past few years, IndyCar has allowed teams to run their cars with higher turbo boost during qualifying days to allow the cars to exceed their initial V-max speeds. This helps the qualifying day become even more chaotic as drivers aim to take the track flat out with the skinniest of rear wings and the most power they have throughout the weekend.

With the practice runs getting over, teams and drivers are looking to ace the following few days. Moreover, Scott McLaughlin is already in such a mood that he shared his excitement to tame the beast during initial qualifications on Saturday with additional horsepower, as he wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

"Productive day for the #Thirsty3s! Excited to get some of the big boost tomorrow!"

The 2025 Indy 500 will be the Team Penske driver's fifth attempt at the fabled race in his IndyCar career.

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Scott McLaughlin is eyeing to emerge victorious at the Indy 500 in a week's time

Scott McLaughlin at the practice for the 109th Running of The Indianapolis 500 - Source: Getty

Alexander Rossi and Helio Castroneves are among the drivers to have won the Indy 500 as rookies. However, other drivers like McLaughlin have had multiple attempts at the race but have never been able to see the sight of a podium even.

To change this, Scott McLaughlin has a trick up his sleeve, i.e., 2019 Indy 500 winner, Simon Pagenaud's mentorship. The Frenchman has been guiding the 31-year-old ahead of the Indy 500, and revealing how Pagenaud has been helping him, the New Zealander said (via Speedcafe):

"Just purely race car stuff, but a lot of mental stuff too. Like my intensity levels and understanding when that chops and changes through the month, because when you’re at 100 percent intensity level the whole time, you’re going to burn yourself out pretty quickly. He’s been super good, sending me notes before every morning about what to focus on, and that’s mainly what he’s working on."

Moreover, McLaughlin's ambition to win the elusive race is more fierce than ever, as he shared his desire to get the victory at IMS' oval layout soon under his belt, as he said (via Wish TV):

"There’s no reason why we can’t win this race. We’ve got all the tools that we can do it. It’s just a matter of execution."

Scott McLaughlin currently sits fifth in the championship standings after five rounds of racing in the 2025 season.