McLaren and New Zealand have always been connected at the hip. Not exactly a shock given the name, and given the Kiwi insignia slapped on each car.
The link is particularly strong in the motorsport world, and now another of our greatest drivers behind the wheel is set to add their name to the manufacturer's racing tapestry; Scott McLaughlin.
After losing the 2017 Supercars title in the most dramatic, eye-popping and TV-destroyingly frustrating way possible, Mr. Jandle has signed on to race in a YNA Autosport McLaren 650S co-run by McElrea Racing in this year's Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour (February 2–4. Save the date).
Australian Fraser Ross, Brit Andrew Watson, and Sweden's Alexander West complete the Pro-Am foursome, with backing and a sharp looking blue and black visual ensemble from Opti-Coat.
"We have a great line up to attack the Pro-Am class honours but also attack the outright order. I’m looking forward to the challenge and excited to be in a fantastic car like the McLaren with some great teammates," said McLaughlin.
"The 12 Hour is a perfect way to start my racing season and hopefully we can kick it off with some success!”
This will be McLaughlin's first competitive taste of a GT3 speedster, after a year of uninterrupted Supercars racing. In the past he's competed at the Bathurst 12 Hour in Class B (for slower but still very very fast GT cars) and won. He's also made a few sneaky appearances in the Aussie Porsche Carrera Cup.
McLaughlin will be one of three high profile Kiwi racers pedaling McLarens at the mountain at the 12 Hour. CAMS Australian Endurance Championship front-runner and almost-champ Jaxon Evans is one, and Shane van Gisbergen is another.
The latter won this event a couple of years ago in a McLaren — a year where he also won the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup driving ... another McLaren
The 650S as a platform is a bit long in the tooth, but it still remains a formidable platform in the Balance Of Performance world of GT3 racing.
And perhaps more success is to come a months time at Australia's most famous hill of skill...