WATCH: Scott McLaughlin crashes his car in the opening IndyCar practice session of 2025

Scott McLaughlin had a rough start to the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, crashing during the opening practice session of the new season.

The Team Penske driver lost control after clipping the wall with his right rear wheel, spinning out in the middle of the track at the Florida event.

The 31-year-old driver saw his first practice session of the 2025 season come to an abrupt end after getting caught up in what has been loosely dubbed the treacherous Turn 3 corner.

The contact with the wall eventually forced McLaughlin’s front right tire deep into the car before he spun across the circuit.

The New Zealand driver, who recently spoke about his chances of clinching his maiden IndyCar crown, will be aiming to have his car fixed in time for Saturday’s qualifying.

Scott McLaughlin seems to be battling a streak of misfortune at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. His 2024 podium finish was stripped after Team Penske was found to have used the push-to-pass system during a race restart.

The Christchurch-born star now faces another setback, with this crash potentially throwing a wrench into a race weekend that had started on a bright note—including a contract extension.

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Scott McLaughlin signed long term contract with Team Penske

AUTO: AUG 16 NTT IndyCar Series Bommarito Automotive Group 500 - Source: Getty

Scott McLaughlin recently took to social media to announce his contract extension with Team Penske ahead of the first IndyCar race weekend of 2025.

The veteran driver announced the news on his X (formerly Twitter) account. Accompanied by a video from the popular Wolf of Wall Street movie, McLaughlin posted:

“We’re LIVE and ready for a big 2025! Signed a long-term extension in the off-season with @Team_Penske and have been absolutely 100% focused on prep for this year. Let’s kick this season off right! STRAIGHT. TO. THE. MOON. #Thirsty3s.”

Despite the setback suffered at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, the Penske team driver will remain focused on his long-term goal of clinching the 2025 IndyCar Series title.

Scott McLaughlin has finished in third place twice, most recently in the 2024 campaign, where he trailed eventual championship winner Alex Palou by less than 40 points.

The former Supercars champion, however, has his work cut out, with several other drivers—including Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward and Andretti Global’s Colton Herta—also eyeing the chance to dethrone Chip Ganassi's Palou and claim the IndyCar crown.

Several others, including teammate Josef Newgarden, are also among the favorites to clinch the 2025 IndyCar drivers’ title.