"A little country that punches above our weight": Scott McLaughlin on New Zealand in IndyCar and 'GOAT' Scott Dixon

Team Penske sensation Scott McLaughlin came out after the Indy 500 open test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and hailed his native country, New Zealand, for producing great motorsport athletes. While doing so, McLaughlin brought up Scott Dixon’s name and praised the six-time champion.

Scott McLaughlin raced in the Australian V8 Supercars championship before he got his big break in IndyCar and moved to the States to race for Team Penske. Scott Dixon, on the other hand, began racing in the junior open-wheel racing series before moving to the US in his 20s.

IMSA WeatherTech Championship Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring - Source: Getty

Scott McLaughlin has been impressive since moving to IndyCar and has been the best performing Team Penske driver for the last couple of seasons, finishing 3rd in the championship. Scott Dixon, on the other hand, is a six-time champion with 58 wins to his name.

McLaughlin hailed New Zealand for punching above its weight and for nurturing some great athletes despite being a small and non-populous country. The Team Penske driver said,

“It's awesome. A little country that punches above our weight, as you know.”

Scott McLaughlin then hailed the Chip Ganassi Racing sensation and called him the GOAT, as he said,

“One of those guys is an absolute legend of the sport, probably the greatest of all time in Scott Dixon. He's done an amazing job of putting New Zealand on the map.”

“Having Marcus here and now myself, it's a cool thing. I think it's exciting for the Kiwis back home. Yeah, hopefully we can pull out the front for them,” added the Team Penske driver

Based on the Indy 500 open test, both McLaughlin and Dixon look to be in the running for the pole position at the greatest spectacle in racing. The Team Penske driver topped the timing sheets during the boost session, whereas the CGR driver finished P6.

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Scott McLaughlin reflects on the 2025 Indy 500 open test

Scott McLaughlin spoke with Motorsport reporter Bob Pockrass after the Indy 500 test and shared his opinion on how the hybrid power unit felt around the 2.5-mile oval. The Kiwi driver detailed how the extra weight can be felt as the motor and battery add close to 100 lbs

“I think at the parameters that we ran at from the team perspective, we didn't throw everything to the wall today. I don't think anyone would have. But it was a good read with a heavier car. Because the biggest thing that has changed now is the heaviness of the car. It's very different. It feels weird,” said McLaughlin

Scott McLaughlin took the pole position for the 2024 Indy 500 and also set a record for his average speed while doing so.