Scott McLaughlin's Indianapolis 500 bid came to a stunning early end on Sunday afternoon as he crashed on the race's opening pace laps.
The incident unfolded as the NTT IndyCar Series drivers circled Indianapolis Motor Speedway in preparation for the start of the prestigious race. McLaughlin swerved side to side while trying to warm his tires when he suddenly veered toward the inside wall.
The broadcast crew expressed the opinion that the cold track and the cold tires had contributed to the crash.
His No. 3 Team Penske car made hard contact with the inside wall, which completely destroyed the left front end. The race car then slid into the grass before coming to a stop.
SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN HAS CRASHED OUT OF THE INDY 500 BEFORE IT HAS EVEN STARTED!!!@IndyCarHub @AlwaysRaceDay pic.twitter.com/cqLtB2jjtp
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) May 25, 2025
"It's ok, bud, don't stress about it," the team told McLaughlin over the radio after the incident. "That's alright. We're ok."
The devastated McLaughlin climbed from his ruined race car and crouched in the grass. He held his head in his hands while appearing to be overcome with emotion.
"I really have no idea what happened," the Team Penske driver told Fox Sports after the crash. "Just really upset with my team. They built me a fantastic car again. I'm really sorry to my sponsors, my fans, my family.
"I don't know what happened. I can't believe we're out of the race. I had so much hope today. By far, the worst moment of my life."
The former three-time Supercars champion has only made five starts in the Indianapolis 500 since making the move to the NTT IndyCar Series and Team Penske. His best outing was last season when he won the pole, led 66 laps, and finished sixth overall.
McLaughlin was not the only driver with an early exit from the race. Marco Andretti, who made his 20th start in the prestigious event, crashed after contact with Marcus Armstrong. His No. 98 car slammed hard into the outside wall before coming to a rest on the track.