Scott McLaughlin to Fulfill Dream Racing Chevrolet Corvette at Suzuka 1000Km
Scott McLaughlin, an IndyCar driver for Team Penske, is set to fulfill a long-time dream by racing a Chevrolet Corvette at Suzuka next month. He will be driving a Corvette Z06 GT3.R for the Malaysian Johore Motorsports Racing team in the Suzuka 1000Km round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge on 14 September. McLaughlin expressed his excitement about racing at Suzuka, a track that has been on his bucket list for a while. He will be sharing the JMR Pro class entry with Chevrolet factory drivers Alexander Sims and Nicky Catsburg, whom he referred to as his "General Motors friends" and "two amazing Corvette racers."
This will not be McLaughlin's first time behind the wheel of a Corvette Z06 GT3.R, as he previously raced one at the Daytona 24 Hours in January. The New Zealander has a diverse racing background, having competed in LMP2 in IMSA and winning the LMP2 class at the 2023 Sebring 12 Hours. He has also tasted success at the Bathurst 12 Hours in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in 2016. JMR, a regular in the GT World Challenge Asia, will field a pair of Corvettes at the Suzuka IGTC fixture, with another car being entered in the Pro-Am class.
The Intercontinental GT Challenge is making a return to Suzuka this year after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race format has been changed back to the traditional 1000km distance, with the maximum duration extended to six-and-a-half hours to ensure the full distance is covered. A total of 30 cars are expected to compete in the event, including the Chinese Phantom Global Racing Porsche sporting a retro 'pink pig' livery, reminiscent of the iconic design seen on a 917/20 at the 1971 Le Mans 24 Hours. The livery features the names of different butcher's cuts of pork in German, paying homage to Porsche's racing heritage.