Scott McLaughlin Takes On the Suzuka 1000: Earns Podium

McLaughlin has made himself into an all-around motorsports superstar. From a generational run in V8 Supercars to becoming a successful IndyCar driver, he has also dabbled in sports car racing, winning both the 12 Hours of Bathurst and Sebring, and entering three different 24 Hours of Daytona events. Now he’s crossed something off the bucket list.

McLaughlin and Suzuka

Scott McLaughlin made his way to Japan this weekend alongside the whole Corvette team of Johor Motorsports. And McLaughlin came into the week with extra enthusiasm because they were racing at the historic Suzuka circuit.”For me, Suzuka is a bucket list track,” McLaughlin said. “I had it circled on my calendar to do it, maybe. Jess came to me earlier in the year and told me this is happening, it will be a Pro car, and I was immediately excited about it. I signed the deal, and here we are.”

“I know the track like the back of my hand, even though I’ve never been here! I’ve driven it a lot on the simulator and walked around it today… It was awesome just to soak it all in.” The Suzuka circuit is one of the most historic racing venues in all of Asia. Opened in 1962, the number of landmark moments, tragedies, and motorsports that have been there could make a series of articles in and of itself.

Featuring many of the most infamous moments in the most famous F1 rivalry ever, Senna vs. Prost, which was once host to the F1 finale. And to this day, it hosts the F1 Japan GP, where rookie Kimi Antonelli this year set the F1 circuit track record. And this past weekend, the Suzuka 1000km was hosted on the historic track for a historic race. It was the 49th edition of the race, but the 1st one McLaughlin would be entering!

McLaughlin vs. the Suzuka 1000 km!

Johor Motorsports is a team owned by Tunku Abdul Rahman Hassanal Jefri, the fifth child and fourth son of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the current Sultan of Johor, and Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, the Permaisuri of Johor, which makes him the prince of Malaysia. A country with many proven human rights abuses. Such as having the death penalty as an option for people committing drug trafficking.

And in January, the men who made Mentega Terbang were charged with wounding religious feelings. A law created to put down those who aren’t Sunni Muslims. So anyone following Shia or other branches could be arrested for deviancy. With its federal laws banning “carnal intercourse against the order of nature,” which is used to criminalize gay people. And for up to 20 years as well. And even ban films with “LGBTQ themes.”

Malaysian prince Tunku Abdul Rahman is also a racing driver who owns Johor Motorsport Racing (JMR), which qualified disappointingly 9th overall, which was 6th overall for their class. Even after McLaughlin’s JMR driver mate Nicky Catsburg set the outright fastest lap in qualifying.

BMW’s Dominance

It was the BMWs dominating the weekend that gave the German manufacturer its 1st win here in 1982. Specifically, the WRT No. 32 is leading by 13.647 seconds over the No. 7 Origine Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, which finished 2nd on the podium this weekend. McLaughlin and his team did benefit from the misfortune of others in front as well.

The No. 7 Porsche was hit with a 5-second penalty for slamming into the doors of the No. 888 BMW of Mikëal Grenier.Because the series hates fun racing for some reason.McLaughlin did his part, though. He passed the #9 Bingo Racing Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R of Ukyo Sasahara as he attempted to set up a move on Kanamaru; it was his teammate in the final stint who secured the podium for the Prince, however.

Final Thoughts

In the final 20 minutes, the battle for third overall was between the #2 JMR Corvette of Nicky Catsburg and the #10 Absolute Racing Porsche of Loek Hartog after both had already passed the #6 Origine Porsche. Hartog tried the inside of the “Triangle” Chicane with ten minutes to go. Still, quick maneuvers from Catsburg forced Hartog into the runoff, which is the move that earned the podium place for McLaughlin and the rest of the Johor Motorsports team in his bucket list race? Thanks a bunch for reading!