NTT INDYCAR SERIES NEWS CONFERENCE

May 31, 2024

Scott McLaughlin

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Joined now by Scott McLaughlin, best finish of seventh in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. What do you think of that practice session? Did you get anything done?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah. I learned how to (indiscernible). I did heaps of them. That's all part of it here. You risk in the points where you've got least risk.

Yeah, Gallagher Chevy feels real good. Straightaway I felt like I was in a really good spot. I felt really strong. Hopefully that carries on for the weekend.

Yeah, really good first practice.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions.

Q. Testing the limits, is that going into the runoffs, trying to find a place you can brake?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Basically, yeah. A lot of it's the corners where you know you have the runoff. Might as well bring a yellow out now than later. That's always my strategy on street circuits.

Q. Can you change your brake bias during a lap?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, you can.

Q. Something you would do at a place like this?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Depends. It really depends on what you got in the car and how comfortable you are with it.

Yeah, that's something I've done in the past with Supercars, for sure.

Q. Everybody is complaining the place is very bumpy. Is there anything you can do in the setup to make it a little bit easier?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: I think it's character. You can do a couple little things, softening or whatnot. Ultimately there's a point where it hurts the balance trying to set up for the bumps. You just got to deal with them. It's not a billiard table, absolutely not. It's Detroit streets. We just enjoy it.

Q. (No microphone.)

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah. Couple guys are going to have to tighten the belts, enjoy it.

Q. Any bumps from last year been smoothed over?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Last corner coming out of the pit straight. Really, really good. I think there's a lot of great improvements. Off the long back straight, it's a lot smoother there. Bumpy down Jefferson Ave. Once it gets to the point they resurface, they resurface a thousand feet or something like that, which is amazing.

Yeah, I think there's been a lot of really good improvements from this time last year to now. So yeah, I think they've done a really good job.

Q. That plus the car being lighter, the whole year of setup data, faster than last year in the first practice?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Was it? Maybe we all know this track a bit better. That for sure is probably a thing. Last year first practice was our first time on track. After a year, everyone has seven-posted, thought about different things. Cars are just better, they're lighter.

Yeah, it's probably a case of that, too.

Q. The alternates and the primary look close together to the point that some drivers chose not to switch on the split segment. We could expect this to be a primary race on Sunday?

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: I think you're nuts not to run them right now because you can't run them again. I feel like that's a silly move.

Ultimately we've seen this trend. I think it might lend to that way. It just depends on how it goes throughout the weekend.

I think as the track grips up, tires are probably going to wear out less. We've seen this trend quite a fair bit. Yeah, I feel like it's going to be more of a green tire race already.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Scott.

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Thank you.