'Spanner in the works' of McLaughlin's Bathurst bid

3 years ago 358

Former Bathurst 1000 champion Scott McLaughlin concedes question restrictions are apt to mean helium won't beryllium capable to vie astatine this year's race.

The three-time Supercars champion left the class astatine the extremity of 2020 to instrumentality up a thrust with the iconic Penske squad successful the IndyCar bid successful the United States.

At the clip his IndyCar power was announced, McLaughlin was besides confirmed arsenic 1 of Dick Johnson Racing's drivers for this year's Bathurst 1000.

The contention has already been moved from its accepted October day to November 4-7, though expectations are that it volition beryllium further delayed until December.

But speaking connected his Balls & Bumpers podcast, McLaughlin was pessimistic astir his chances of returning.

"I'm 95 per cent definite I'm not coming, unfortunately, and I deliberation that's not lone bittersweet for maine to not beryllium capable to contention Bathurst and beryllium with the squad again, but astatine the aforesaid time, there's a accidental we won't beryllium backmost successful Australia for a agelong clip oregon New Zealand," said McLaughlin.

"It surely sucks a small bit, but it's each portion of it. It conscionable has to beryllium a batch easier for maine to get successful the country. Like I said to you before, the quarantine is the issue. I can't beryllium distant for arsenic agelong arsenic I request to be. I can't bash the 2 weeks past bash different three, if you cognize what I mean.

"Straight aft the season, with IndyCar, we person similar a wintertime investigating benignant happening wherever we effort and trial arsenic soon arsenic we tin due to the fact that that's erstwhile the upwind is bully earlier it gets acold everyplace other we race. It's surely a spot of a spanner successful the works, for sure."

McLaughlin praised the DJR squad and its brag Ryan Story, for giving him each accidental to get to Bathurst.

"One happening that's been astonishing that Ryan has done is he's fixed maine up to the past imaginable moment," McLaughlin said.

"They're giving maine until the past imaginable 2nd to either accidental yes oregon no. Right now, evidently seeing the mode things are going successful Australia, I conscionable can't spot it happening.

"It's conscionable however it is. They're acceptable to go, regardless, and I person to admit Ryan and the squad for being acceptable for maine regardless, which is truly bully and shows their loyalty to me."

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