Highlights
Series
Explore
DJR Team Penske technical guru Ludo Lacroix considers Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin's greatest strength his generosity, and says the New Zealander will be a success in IndyCar.
The Frenchman has been working closely with McLaughlin for the past four seasons, the pair having joined the squad together in 2017, the second year of the Penske investment.
Despite transitioning away from a pure race engineer role on the #17 over the past two seasons, that responsibility now falling to Richard Harris, Lacroix has had a crucial hand in all three of McLaughlin's titles.
Speaking to Fox Sports after McLaughlin sealed his third title at The Bend yesterday, Lacroix revealed why he feels the Kiwi has been so successful over his four-year stint at DJRTP, and suggests McLaughlin's personality means he is able to build a tight-knit crew through his interactions with people.
"He's a genuinely good guy," said Lacroix.
"That's very important to me. He's somebody I could go on holiday with for a week.
"That makes a big difference. You can attach to him because he is one of the best drivers in that respect - not by the talent, but by the fact he is a superb person."
According to Lacroix (pictured with McLaughlin in 2017), that same generosity will stand the Kiwi in good stead as he makes his IndyCar debut next month.
"I think he has learned a lot with us in terms of professionalism and he is going to a very professional team [in the US]," added Lacroix.
"He is going to have the best engineer you can buy. He is going to be with the best people you can have [working] on race cars.
"Because he is very generous in his way to people, he will get back that generosity and cannot not be successful."
Lacroix added that he's relieved the title fight is now done and dusted, McLaughlin now able to focus not only on that IndyCar debut, but a an-out attack against rivals Triple Eight at Mount Panorama next month.
"I'm very relieved," said Lacroix.
"I'm very happy to send him to [the US] without having to think about anything else.
"I'm very happy to not have to think, going into Bathurst, about conserving anything.
"That's going to give us a fantastic Bathurst, because both teams are going to go at it like mad."
