IndyCar's Scott McLaughlin shares rare photo with F1 champ Fernando Alonso from 11 years ago

Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin recently posted a photo of himself with two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso on his X handle. McLaughlin was a driver in the V8 Supercars Series at the time.

Kiwi superstar McLaughlin's 2025 has been off to a blistering start. The Team Penske man, a former three-time V8 Supercars champion, kicked off his new campaign with a pole win in St Petersburg. His performance came off a career-best 2024 season which saw him finish third in the standings.

While McLaughlin has kept the bar high with his performances on the race track, he has also been active on social media lately. The 31-year-old driver recently took to his X handle to share a significant picture from his archives, where he could be seen standing alongside F1 maestro Fernando Alonso.

The picture dates back to 2014, a time when Alonso, a Scuderia Ferrari driver, was going toe-to-toe against Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull. McLaughlin, meanwhile, was plying his trade in the V8 Supercars Series, driving for Volvo. He ran into the two-time world champion when he was leaving to compete in a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship race in Sweden.

Captioning his post on X, McLaughlin wrote:

"11 years ago, just a Volvo driver going to Sweden and a Oakley sponsored athlete."

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What were Scott McLaughlin's words after signing a contract extension with Team Penske?

Scott McLaughlin signed a contract extension with Team Penske earlier this year, extending his stay in the organisation that he has been a part of since the V8 Supercars Series. Speaking about the decision, McLaughlin expressed his trust in the organization and his desire to remain with the team long-term. He said (via Forbes):

"I just didn’t want to have any questions, move forward and get on with it. It was pretty easy because we all have the same goals. I love the team being here and it just was just nice to get some security, especially now being a dad."

The New Zealander also credited Team Penske for guiding his career. He added:

"I’ve always trusted the process. They’ve done everything they can for me for my career, and I’m in a great spot right now. I spot where I never thought I would be, and that's all because I've sort of just trusted where they put me."

Additionally, McLaughlin revealed his intention to stay in the United States permanently, as he is in the process of applying for U.S. citizenship. He revealed:

"Once I got my feet on the ground, I love it here and see being here for the rest of my career. I’m applying for my citizenship in the United States and hope to be here for a long time."

Scott McLaughlin finished the season-opening Grand Prix of St Petersburg at fourth position. With 36 points, the New Zealander is 15 points behind race winner and defending champion Alex Palou.