Widely-backed Indy 500 pole favourite Scott McLaughlin has crashed in practice, and is reportedly out of qualifying for the famous event.
McLaughlin is due to take part in top 12 qualifying, the fastest six drivers in which will go through to fight for pole, which McLaughlin won in last year’s Indy 500.
Scott McLaughlin hits the wall hard in #Indy500 practice. pic.twitter.com/N5oPmCuOVI
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) May 18, 2025
In Saturday qualifying he was second and reckoned a bad gearshift cost him - so he was expected by many to have a strong chance of securing a repeat pole.
But in morning practice he lost the rear coming off Turn 2 and smashed the wall, taking both left-side wheels off.
He did get out of the car unassisted, before crouching down on the track surface in dismay. The track itself was left gouged where the car scraped on the ground - which will require repairs that are likely to considerably delay the two-hour practice, which had only just started.
"We had a great car and I just destroyed it," McLaughlin told Fox.
The team looks at the McLaughlin car. pic.twitter.com/UVp8eUbTl1
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 18, 2025
"It's hard to take, especially now, you kind of wish it was for something, but it was for nothing, in practice.
"But ultimately those are the decisions you make at that speed and I chose to keep the run going. So yeah, it's on me."
McLaughin has been seen to in the circuit medical centre, and subsequently released.
Fox has reported that McLaughlin will not run again today, later confirmed by McLaughlin via X. The team does have a superspeedway car - something most teams don't benefit from - but their reporting indicated Penske did not think it was worth rushing the preparation of the car to go into qualifying ill-prepared and without a chance at pole.
The sound of Scott McLaughlin's #Indy500 practice crash. pic.twitter.com/8TBzQbMxA1
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) May 18, 2025
Often teams elect to skip this practice session because of the risk of crashing or damage so soon before qualifying.
Even this year, qualifying star Robert Shwartzman and Prema - sixth yesterday - have decided to avoid the session.
But practice time has been vital this year because changing wind direction and tricky conditions have made gaining experience to anticipate the conditions you might get in qualifying imperative.
Alex Palou was fastest yesterday for Chip Ganassi. McLaughlin’s team-mates Josef Newgarden and Will Power both also made the Fast 12.
A second look from the in-car camera of @smclaughlin93 😧 pic.twitter.com/54MdvhW69N
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) May 18, 2025
McLaughlin’s chances of winning the race itself next week have also taken a hit.
Each car has special parts that have been handpicked by the team and that car has been worked on for a year to perfect it for this race. A backup car naturally won't have been prioritised and refined to such an extent, even if, as mentioned above, Penske is one of the few teams to have a superspeedway-focused back-up.
There’s two practices, on Monday and Friday, for McLaughlin to prepare for the race.
First and foremost, I’m good. Thank you to @indycar for their commitment to safety and my team for building great cars. Unfortunately, we’ve destroyed the car. I’m so sorry to @team_penske and the #thirsty3s for that, but we are going to build our next car just as fast and have… pic.twitter.com/78l75veEOa
— Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin93) May 18, 2025
Top 12 from Saturday
1 Alex Palou 233.043mph (2m34.4781s)
2 Scott McLaughlin 233.013mph (2m34.4979s)
3 Josef Newgarden 233.004mph (2m34.5036s) run about 1900
4 Pato O’Ward 232.820mph (2m34.6257s)
5 Scott Dixon 232.659mph (2m34.7327s)
6 Robert Shwartzman 232.584mph (2m34.7828s)
7 David Malukas 232.546mph (2m34.8080s)
8 Felix Rosenqvist 232.449mph (2m34.8726s)
9 Takuma Sato 232.415mph (2m34.8591s)
10 Will Power 232.144mph (2m35.0760s)
11 Marcus Ericsson 232.132mph (2m35.0843s)
12 Christian Lundgaard 231.809mph (2m35.3004s)
