The 30-year-old New Zealander started ninth for the 100-lap contest that opened the 2024 season for the IndyCar Series. However, it didn’t take long for the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet to quickly move forward.
Just moments after the start, entering Turn 1, he vaulted to sixth after going elbows out with an inside pass on Rinus VeeKay which resulted in slight contact.
McLaughlin, along with team-mate Will Power, ended up on the opposite strategy to most of the field by running a tyre combination of the harder primary compound through the first two stints before switching to the softer alternates for the final 33 laps.
Through a blend of that strategy and unyielding pace, McLaughlin was able to move forward to claim the final step of the podium, behind Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward. Additionally, McLaughlin helped complete a banner day for Team Penske, with Josef Newgarden winning and Power also securing fourth.
“I’m stoked, for the team. It’s unreal,” said McLaughlin, who now has 13 career IndyCar podiums. “With Will right behind me, he was pushing me to the end. The car was super quick, and we had a great day. It was a Godsend for me [on alternates at the end], it would’ve been interesting if I’d got past Pato. We had a blast.”
“To start ninth and move through to third, it’s like a win for us. It was like a championship day, thinking of the points, you just need to get what you can. Chevy really worked with us over the off-season, to get four of the top five. I’m pumped.”
The Lap 72 restart provided one of the more defining moments of the race when McLaughlin pulled off a daring inside move on Colton Herta into Turn 10 – which plagued many drivers due to the wind direction constantly flipping – that ultimately decided the fate of his finish.
“I felt really strong into Turn 10 all day and I knew I had green (alternate) tyres so I had to make them work.,” McLaughlin said.
“Wish I could have got past him on the first lap. I got past him on the second restart lap and maybe then I could have attacked Pato a little bit better when the tyres were a little bit fresher.
“But Colton made it hard, but that’s part of it, and just sort of threw the Dr. Divebomb cap on and just threw it in there. Yeah, it worked out good, and I was more pumped with my start. I think I made it four wide and got through it, so that was a blast.
“Honestly, I had so much fun out there today. It was just proper racing, thinking on your feet with fuel strategy and where you put the car and how aggressive you were, and that’s what IndyCar is all about. There’s no prediction, it’s just a wild card, and I enjoy it.”