McLaughlin fired up amid Volvo V8 exit

Scott McLaughlin says he and James Moffat need stand up in the face of adversity following the sudden withdrawal of Volvo from the Garry Rogers Motorsport squad at the end of the 2016 season.

McLaughlin says it is paramount the drivers show solid leadership at the Perth Super Sprint round at Barbagallo this weekend.

The 22-year-old was shocked by the magnitude of Polestar’s decision not to renew its V8 Supercars program, which was made yesterday evening.

GRM had indicated it would continue to run Volvo S60s next season but this was torpedoed by an order from Cyan Racing in Sweden that it wanted possession of its cars, engines and IP returned by year’s end.

Cyan Racing is Polestar Racing’s official motorsport partner and is owned by Christian Dahl.

Having received the devastating news just days before the Perth Super Sprint, McLaughlin says he is fired up to help the team through a difficult 24 hours.

The popular New Zealander heads to Barbagallo lying second in the championship following a clean sweep at Phillip Island two weeks ago and is focussed on a title push.

McLaughlin competed in the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship in Sweden last weekend and was unaware of any negative developments.

“I think at the end of the day I thought it (plans for the future with Volvo) was going okay,” McLaughlin told Speedcafe.com.

“I guess Volvo Australia have got their hands tied. I knew they were keen to continue.

“It is a bit weird. I’m sure there will be some sort of a solution in the long term.

“It is definitely time for me and Moff (James Moffat) to stand up and be the leaders in some ways.

“Of course at the end of the day you are the driver in some ways you are the leader of the team apart from Garry it is about keeping the troops together and working hard.

“As a group we have got some of the most hardworking people in pit lane and to go through what we have been through in the last couple of years and still stick together is a testament to those people.

“I will just be going out doing my normal thing. It is disappointing and leaves everyone a bit insecure but at the end of the day we have just got to put our heads down and bums up.

“I will do best I can and Moff will do the same. There is nothing we can do about it. We will do the best with what we have got and time will tell what will happen.

“We know what we have got as a package. Volvo, Polestar and Cyan are supporting us until the end of 2016 anyway. It is just a matter of getting on with it.

“The boys won’t stop trying and it is a good little spur on we can take under our wings for the rest of the season.”

Opening practice for the Perth Super Sprint is scheduled to begin on Friday at midday local time.