Three-time Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin is a “very particular” expertise who deserves a Method 1 check, based on ex-F1 driver Romain Grosjean.
McLaughlin received three Supercars titles in 2018–20 earlier than shifting to the US to hitch the IndyCar sequence with Group Penske, the place he has quickly established himself as a protagonist.
After a workmanlike debut season, the Kiwi burst from the blocks in his-follow up 2022 marketing campaign with a first-round victory. He received two extra races and picked up an additional 4 podiums within the 17-round season to complete fourth within the championship simply 50 factors behind title-winning Australian Will Energy.
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It was an attention-grabbing efficiency, notably for former Method 1 driver Romain Grosjean.
Grosjean, a GP2 champion and 10-time F1 podium getter over 179 begins, moved from Europe to IndyCar at across the identical time as McLaughlin however is but to complete increased than thirteenth within the sequence, albeit having raced for the comparatively much less aggressive Dale Coyne and Andretti groups.
Having seen first-hand McLaughlin’s seamless change from touring vehicles to single-seaters, Grosjean has little question his rival has what it takes to have a crack at Method 1 given how a lot he’s flourished within the “robust” world of IndyCar.
“The man that amazed me essentially the most is Scott McLaughlin,” Grosjean advised Motor Sport Journal. “I feel he ought to have a check in F1. He could be quick. That man may be very particular.”
“For those who suppose he did V8 Supercars for therefore a few years and is doing so properly in IndyCar now, it’s very pure.
“IndyCar works just a little bit totally different than F1 in the way in which you want to have expertise within the races, and that’s why you see the outdated guys doing fairly good. However the racing is hard and the competitors is up there.
“You’ll be able to’t go on a quali lap pondering, ‘Okay, I’ll do 95 per cent as a result of I do know I’ve acquired an excellent automotive’. It received’t be sufficient; you want each single lap to be 100 per cent, and that’s a problem. However it’s fairly enjoyable.”
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Code hops from IndyCar to Method 1 have gone out and in of vogue over the a long time, however the potential of a trans-Atlantic soar has been given a substantial enhance by McLaren and staff CEO Zak Brown lately.
McLaren runs groups in each Method 1 and IndyCar, and Brown has given a number of younger Stateside stars a spin in F1 equipment.
IndyCar drivers Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou each acquired FP1 outings, whereas Colton Herta was additionally handled to some non-public testing in a year-old automotive.
For a time Herta appeared to have the momentum to make his F1 debut in 2023, however a bid to hitch AlphaTauri was scuppered by the FIA’s unwillingness to pardon his lack of superlicence factors. O’Ward is equally ineligible to race in Method 1.
Solely Palou, having received the 2021 IndyCar title, would qualify to race in F1.
IndyCar’s lack of recognition within the superlicence system — the sequence is rewarded with fewer factors than each Method 2 and Method 3 — has lengthy rankled Grosjean, who says the depth of expertise within the American sequence is apparent.
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“Top-of-the-line examples was when Palou got here to COTA to do FP1 for McLaren and on the identical tyres as Lando (Norris) was simply two or three tenths off, which may be very, excellent,” he stated.
“For Colton the image was larger. He has acquired the capability and pace to be in F1. However when you have a look at his profession, he has by no means received a championship in Indy Lights or IndyCar. So I additionally perceive why he doesn’t have the factors for a superlicence.
“What I feel is unsuitable is the quantity of factors we get in IndyCar. I feel it needs to be at the least at Method 2 degree, possibly extra as a result of the extent is up there. There are some very quick drivers.”