SUPERCARS PREDICTIONS
AS THE SEASON APPROACHES, LOOKS AT WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN ’18
OK, this might seem like an easy call to make. Expectation is already building that McLaughlin, the man who claimed an incredible 16 of 26 pole positions last season, is going to be hard to beat.
The reality is, bar a monumental stuff-up, Shell VPower Racing should again be at least as quick as anyone on the grid. And McLaughlin no doubt will be smarter – and hungrier – for his heartbreaking championship miss.
Think back to when a freshfaced Whincup missed out on his first title by just two points to Garth Tander. Whincup went on to comfortably win the following year and backed that up with five of the next six championships, too. You can count on fellow New Zealander van Gisbergen having a far better 2018 after an up-and-down campaign. Coulthard is another Kiwi sure to be threatening.
Continuing the international theme … Simona De Silvestro.
The Swiss former IndyCar and Formula E driver had a difficult introduction to life as a full-time Supercars driver, placing 24th in the end-of-year standings. That was to be expected, though, given how other international stars have gone in the past when making the switch. Expect to see him claim a top five result at least once this year.
It’s been a steady fall since James Courtney moved in 2011 to Walkinshaw Racing (or its various titles); 2017 was rock bottom. Former champion Courtney battled a diabolical car to finish the year 21st overall. The team have made mass changes, including linking up with America’s Andretti Autosport and England’s United Autosports to now be known as Walkinshaw Andretti United. Increased resources can only mean good things for Courtney and his team, so expect them to start rising back up the pecking order – but not drastically.
While the five rookies coming into the sport all bring undoubted ability, it’s a difficult series to crack. Stanaway enters his first full-time season already with a win to his name, codriving with Waters at Sandown last September, and is best placed given his drive at frontrunning team Tickford.
James Golding (Garry Rogers Motorsport), Anton De Pasquale (Erebus Motorsport), Jack Le Brocq (Tekno Autosports) and Todd Hazelwood (Matt Stone Racing) may find the going tougher – particularly the latter as MSR are also a newcomer in 2018.
It was a poor season for two fan favourites of the sport, Mark Winterbottom and Craig Lowndes, as both went winless. Winterbottom, for once, was no longer the go-to driver for Tickford Racing as he fell behind Chaz Mostert and often Cameron Waters in the Ford squad’s intra-team battle.
But Winterbottom is ultramotivated and still a consistent force.
For Lowndes, however, a tougher season could be in store.
Ever since he has been shuffled to Triple Eight’s third car – now branded Autobarn Lowndes Racing – he has increasingly struggled to mix it with teammates Whincup and van Gisbergen.