Scott McLaughlin has been left frustrated after multiple dramas in the IndyCar Grand Prix, including a late pit stop to get more fuel into his Team Penske car.
He was running 11th, not too far behind Graham Rahal, when he had to stop with just one more lap of the Indianapolis road course to go, and went on to finish 16th.
That was where McLaughlin had also qualified, and while he was confident about fighting through, it left the winner of the previous race of the season in the danger zone considering how the field funnels through the first two corners at The Brickyard.
So it was that the New Zealander got caught up in contact which forced him into an early pit stop under Caution to address front wing damage, and he took the restart all the way back in 23rd.
McLaughlin gradually made up ground, before suffering a further blow near the end of proceedings.
“Obviously a little frustrated at how we qualified with the Odyssey Battery Chevrolet,” he said.
“After practice, I thought we should challenge for the Firestone Fast Six. Then, after Warmup, I thought we were better and starting on the red tyres would give us a chance to make up a few positions over the start of the race.
“The first corner of this race is always a bit chaotic and it caught us today with some front wing damage that we had to come in and repair.
“Immediately that changes our strategy but we fought back and looked to be in a position for a top 10, which would have been acceptable considering.
“We’ll have to go back and look at why we got so low on fuel. Luckily, the light came on in time for me to hit pit road and take on one gallon to make it to the end.
“Frustrating, but we need to forget this result and focus on the 500.”
Man what a race. Lost front wing after contact at start, went back to last, came through to 11th and then run out of fuel on the last lap. 16th is what we had. Gutted but the big one is next! LFG! Onwards and upwards! Thanks for the support. #thirsty3s pic.twitter.com/lLBnDYkepP
— Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin93) May 13, 2023
None of the Penske trio qualified in the top 10, but Josef Newgarden made his way to seventh by the end of the 85-lap race.
Will Power, on the other hand, started 12th and finished there as well, after being turned around by Kyle Kirkwood at Turn 2 in an early skirmish for 10th position.
While Power had run Kirkwood wide when he tried to make the pass at Turn 1, the Andretti Autosport driver was deemed guilty of Avoidable Contact for the clash which occurred at the left-hander which followed.
In the series standings, McLaughlin is fifth, 41 points off top spot, with Newgarden sixth and 2022 champion Power eighth.
Practice for the Indianapolis 500 starts on Tuesday.
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