Scott McLaughlin's IndyCar future is expected to be decided in the next month, with team boss Roger Penske putting a deadline on the decision.
McLaughlin will make his American debut this weekend, driving for Penske's team in the season finale around the St Petersburg street circuit.
It's widely believed this weekend is simply a forerunner to a full campaign in 2021. McLaughlin had been scheduled to drive earlier this year, but the COVID-19 travel restrictions put an end to those plans.
Instead, he remained in Australia, where he wrapped up a third consecutive Supercars title for DJR-Team Penske.
In an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR radio, Penske revealed that a decision on where McLaughlin drives in 2021 is imminent, saying the plans need to be finalised "over the next 30 days."
McLaughlin, who finished fifth in last weekend's Bathurst 1000 before flying to the United States, was impressive during IndyCar testing earlier this year, where he finished third fastest at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), with Australia's Indy500 champion Will Power telling Wide World of Sports at the time that McLaughlin's performance was "brilliant."
"It's a different experience, and if I've got the opportunity to do it, I've got to grab it with both hands," McLaughlin said this morning.
"COTA was good in some ways where I understood the car but when you're doing one lap by yourself, it's a lot easier than with 23 other drivers into Turn 1. I'm fully expecting a new challenge in the race with in and out laps and pit stops. There's still a lot of things I haven't come across that I need to learn and understand before I actually make a decision and before [a decision is made] as a team.
https://twitter.com/Team_Penske/status/1318900342919221248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"It's something I'm just going to go in like a sponge and soak everything up and see what comes out of it. I'm pretty confident I'm going to like the series and the cars, there wouldn't be a reason I wouldn't be here. It's cool I'm able to have that support from Roger, the team, Tim (Cindric) to allow me at 27 years old to try and accomplish dreams."
McLaughlin was in the Penske IndyCar simulator in North Carolina on Monday night after making the trip from Bathurst.
The New Zealander said he'd be over the moon with a top-10 finish this weekend.
"[I'll be] doing cartwheels. I'll be going crazy! I'm fully expecting a tough battle. I might have a great experience running last. I've got a lot to learn and fully expecting that I could be last. At the end of the day as long as I get a good feel for the category and the cars, we'll be alright."
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