As the IndyCar Series enters its closing stretch, Team Penske veteran Scott McLaughlin believes the key to aiding teammate David Malukas in his championship pursuit against points leader Alex Palou comes down to flawless execution and a collective team effort.
Malukas currently sits 83 points behind four-time and reigning series champion Palou in the overall standings, facing his first true title fight in IndyCar. Drawing on his own championship experience, McLaughlin’s advice is simple: ignore the points and focus on execution.
“Firstly, one race at a time for everybody," said McLaughlin, 33. "Just take it as it comes, especially in this series these days, how competitive it is."
While Malukas has battled for championships during his junior formula career, notably finishing runner-up to Kyle Kirkwood for the 2021 Indy NXT title, an IndyCar title fight presents a different level of pressure. McLaughlin, who has finished third in the IndyCar championship twice (2023-24), emphasized that building the composure needed for these moments takes time on track.
"Yeah, for him, different championship cars throughout the years in different categories," McLaughlin said. "It's about trying not to really focus on the points, just worry about execution, the rest will take care of itself. But it's hard to beat experience in that spot. He'll just gain it this year and continue to get better."
From an organizational standpoint, Team Penske’s objective remains singular: secure victories for the organization, regardless of which driver takes the checkered flag. Whether the push comes from McLaughlin, Malukas, or teammate Josef Newgarden, the collective effort remains focused on delivering results for the team.
"From a team perspective, yeah, for sure, we want a Penske car to win, regardless if it's myself, Malukas or Josef," McLaughlin said. "We're going to be working hard as a team to make that happen. We'll figure that out as time goes on. That's always been the mantra here."
Penske could also use different strategies across its three cars to maximise its chances of placing one ahead of Palou. Pointing to a recent race in Nashville – where Penske split tactics by pitting early with one car while others stayed out – McLaughlin explained that covering all bases is a standard team approach.
"I think we always try to make sure a Penske car wins. We always cover all bases," McLaughlin said. "You try and cover all the bases to make sure we can at least get one car in front of the 10 or something like that. We just take that as circumstantial, and that will be decided between the strategists really more than the drivers."
