Scott McLaughlin opens up about Simon Pagenaud helping him with racing and mental prep for Indy 500

Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin will have former IndyCar champion and Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud in his corner for the Indianapolis 500 race preparation. He highlighted how guidance from an experienced driver like Pagenaud is helping him.

Pagenaud suffered a crash during practice for the 2023 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, where his car flipped over several times and he ended up in the gravel. He had to sit out the rest of the 2023 IndyCar season, and subsequently, he did not return to the IndyCar series due to his prolonged injuries.

However, he made a return to his former team's garage as Scott McLaughlin's mentor in 2024 for the 108th edition of the Indy 500, where the duo's collaborative efforts helped the Kiwi driver secure a pole position. Addressing how Pagenaud is helping him, McLaughlin explained that, along with race car skills and technicalities, the French driver also helps him with mental preparation.

"Just purely like race car stuff, but a lot of mental stuff too. You know, like my intensity levels and understanding that where that chopping changes through the month, because if you are at a 100% intensity level, you are gonna burn yourself out real quick. He has been super good at sending me notes before each morning about what to focus on. Yeah, that's mainly what he has been working with," McLaughlin said via Bob Pockrass on X.

Scott McLaughlin, along with 33 other drivers, will be battling it out for the top spot at the most prestigious race on the IndyCar calendar on May 25.

Scott McLaughlin candidly recalled the non-conversion of the 2024 Indy 500 pole

INDYCAR Open Testing - Indianapolis - Source: Getty

Scott McLaughlin opened up about securing pole position for the 2024 Indianapolis 500, widely regarded as the pinnacle of motorsport, and his disappointment at not converting that advantage into a win.

Despite Team Penske’s commanding performance in the 108th edition of the race, where McLaughlin took the pole, Josef Newgarden ultimately took the chequered flag and got a chance to kiss the bricks.

Speaking during an appearance on the NTT IndyCar Series on April 23, McLaughlin acknowledged that he “peaked on the wrong Sunday,” adding that his early momentum didn’t carry through.

"Yep, yeah, absolutely. I peaked at the wrong Sunday, though, so I'm trying to peak the week later, but no, look absolutely that's one that we all talk about wanting to be on the pole here, I mean, the greatest of all time...," said McLaughlin [01:30 onwards].

Scott McLaughlin, who is confident of the team's pace for the Indy 500, began practising for the same on Tuesday, May 12. While his teammate, Will Power, posted the overall fastest lap of 227.026 mph, McLaughlin came home in fifth with 225.005 mph.