Drivers on the money for title
THE drivers called it: the championship is set to be a straight shootout between Jamie Whincup and Scott McLaughlin.
When the Bulletin quizzed the Supercars field during the week for their championship predictions, Fabian Coulthard barely rated a mention despite entering the Gold Coast round with a 91-point lead.
Instead it was the experience of six-time series winner Whincup or the sheer speed of McLaughlin – who has 14 pole positions this year – that attracted the attention of their peers. And so it is proving.
A super solid weekend for Whincup propelled him into the overall lead for the series while McLaughlin is now only 27 points off the pace after he and engineer Ludo Lacroix masterminded a shock win from 13th position on the grid yesterday.
Coulthard is still wedged between the pair – 17 points behind Whincup – but simply doesn’t appear to be on the same level as his two chief title rivals. The 35-year-old haemorrhaged points across a disastrous weekend at his adopted home track.
In a car that has really been the class of the field all year, he could only qualify 16th and 22nd. Though he and co-driver Tony D’Alberto salvaged ninth yesterday – having fumbled their way to 19th the day before – it’s a concerning sign for his hopes of staying in the fight when it really matters.
Whincup and McLaughlin had previously appeared to be in a two-horse race before both suffered engine dramas at Bathurst; Coulthard took advantage to rocket to the front with a smart drive to third at the Mountain. But in his best chance yet in a decade-long career to break through for a title, Coulthard was unable to capitalise on his Bathurst fortune at Surfers Paradise. It could cost him dearly. Whincup has consistently downplayed the extra experience he and his Triple Eight team have in championship fights but the jury is still out. DJR Team Penske made life tough for themselves yesterday morning with an unsuccessful gamble on car set-up.
After struggling in the Saturday rain, they rolled the dice and lost – in qualifying at least – with both cars missing the top 10 shootout.
As McLaughlin put it, they were forced to start in the “middle of the mischief”.
At the front of the grid were all three Triple Eight Commodores. It took a brilliant strategy play combined with another reminder of McLaughlin’s extraordinary talent to see the No.17 Falcon sweep past all three Triple Eights in the second pitstop phase to secure a memorable Gold Coast victory.
The stage is set for a thrilling Pukekohe round in a fortnight before the Newcastle finale.