Scott McLaughlin Confirmed for Penske Porsche at 2026 Daytona 24 Hours

Scott McLaughlin is set to join Team Penske’s IMSA roster for the 2026 Daytona 24 Hours, with a three-day Daytona test starting Friday. The race runs January 24–25.

Managing director Jonathan Diuguid calls the outing a first step toward a Rolex 24 drive in Porsche Penske’s 963 LMDh. McLaughlin raced at Daytona in LMP2 and GT Daytona Pro.

He shares testing with Josef Newgarden, part of Porsche Penske’s winning 2024 Daytona lineup, underscoring Penske’s preference for cross-pollinating its IndyCar and sports car resources.

Penske is evaluating a return to four-driver crews per car for Daytona, after defending the 2025 win with three. The choice balances pace against fatigue management over traffic-heavy stints.

Drivers report Daytona demands greater concentration than Le Mans due to constant multi-class traffic. Physical strain is acceptable; the mental load determines stint length and crew size decisions.

The title-winning #7 Porsche featured Newgarden with Felipe Nasr, Dane Cameron, and Matt Campbell. That combination set the operational benchmark Penske now measures alternatives against.

For this week’s test, Nasr, Campbell, and Julien Andlauer join McLaughlin and Newgarden on the roster, providing comparative data across experience levels and helping refine stint allocation strategies.

Diuguid cautions the test group is provisional. Laurens Vanthoor and Laurin Heinrich miss Daytona due to Macau FIA GT World Cup duties, skewing availability and combinations.

Porsche is expected to trim its contracted driver pool after stepping away from WEC Hypercar. With two programs and eight full-timers this year, IMSA-only needs fewer permanent seats for 2026.

Endurance specialists will still bolster the roster at Daytona, Sebring, and Petit Le Mans, ensuring depth through traffic-choked night phases and variable weather windows.

Change continues across the driver market. Mathieu Jaminet departs Porsche, with links to Genesis, while Stoffel Vandoorne returns to Peugeot after his post-Fuji exit.

Porsche and Penske will confirm lineups at the Night of Champions on November 29. McLaughlin’s test positions him strongly for Daytona selection and strengthens Penske’s options.

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Brian Thompson

Brian Thompson focuses on IndyCar Series news, from qualifying speeds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to street-course race strategy. He delivers concise feature stories and technical breakdowns on chassis setups, tire choices, and championship standings for open-wheel enthusiasts.