SCOTT McLaughlin will on Sunday strap down in a race-car fit for a prince after being issued a once in a lifetime Royal Decree to abandon his V8 duties in Australia and travel half way across the world on the orders of a King.
In a V8 Supercars Cinderella story for the 22 year-old wunderkind from Christchurch, McLaughlin will take on some of Europe’s best drivers today after being issued a personal invitation from the Swedish Royal family to replace Prince Carl Phillip in the second round of the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship.
The hottest driver in V8s received a personal phone call from the race-car driving prince — who is third in line for the crown — and was asked to take his seat in a Polestar Cyan Racing Volvo because the royal has to attend his father’s 70th birthday party.
An accomplished race car driver, the crown Prince will attend King Carl XV1 Gustaf of Sweden’s bash, leaving McLaughlin the keys to his Volvo for a race at the Skovde Airport race.
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READ NOW“It is pretty cool,’’ said McLaughlin, who has the prince’s personal mobile number in his phone.
“Not only to race for the prince, but also to be here testing myself in another category against some great drivers and in a very different car. Hopefully I can pay the prince back by landing him a podium.’’
McLaughlin, currently the subject of a fierce domestic bidding war that will see him become the sport’s next million-dollar man became a friend to the Royal family of Sweden last year when he met Prince Carl on the Gold Coast.
“He came up there to watch Scotty as a guest of Volvo last year,’’ said McLaughlin’s Aussie boss Garry Rogers.
“They hit it off straight away. The Prince loves his racing and he is a very down to earth guy, who believe it or not has a lot in common with Scott.’’
McLaughlin currently sits second in the V8 championship after conquering Phillip Island in a utterly dominant display.
He will race a European version of the S60 today in a Volvo factory backed team alongside former V8 racer Robert Dahlgren.
Scott McLaughlin and Prince Carl of Sweden and (inset) the Prince and Princess Sofia of