Most of the NTT IndyCar Series field is bracing itself for a potentially eventful race on the new downtown Detroit street course Sunday, but Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin believes that fears that the race could turn into a mess are overblown.
“We’ll be alright,” said the New Zealander, who qualified second in the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet. “With the track, there’s been a lot of noise I’ve seen on Twitter, from other drivers and stuff… At the end of the day this is a new track, new complex. I think what everyone has done to get this going…the vibe is awesome. Belle Isle was getting old. We had to do it.
“Yeah, (there are) first-year problems. It’s always going to happen. It’s just going to get better from here. The racetrack for the drivers is a blast. We don’t even know how it races yet. Everyone is making conclusions already. They probably just need to relax and wait for tomorrow.”
Polesitter Alex Palou still needs some convincing.
“Honestly I agree with most of the drivers,” he said. “It’s too tight for IndyCars. It’s too short for IndyCars. There’s too much traffic. It’s too bumpy.
“If they were asking me, I would say, ‘Please, can we have 20 more seconds (of lap time) so it’s a little bit of a longer lap, a bit wider turns. Turn 1 is really tight. They are not going to ask me, so… I’m happy wherever they take me. Obviously, I can complain a little. I’m not saying I would do a better job (at designing a track). That wouldn’t be a good idea!”
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