Coulthard ‘still in mix’
FABIAN Coulthard is not giving up on a maiden Supercars title despite conceding his season to date doesn’t look too flash on paper.
Coulthard, whose twins Mackenzie and Carter attended their first race meeting in Darwin last month, sits seventh in the standings, 546 points behind teammate and championship leader Scott McLaughlin.
The Shell V-Power Racing Team driver has taken three podiums including a win in Winton – compared to three wins and seven podiums at the same point last year.
“It has been OK,” Coulthard surmised of his campaign. “I feel like we have been fast enough, we just haven’t had the luck.
“On paper it looks pretty poor but I think if you follow the sport and understand it, you know what I have been up against.
“We have had some good races throughout this year, they mightn’t have been podiums but they have been ripper races.”
He tipped McLaughlin as the man to beat before a lap had been driven in 2018. It has proved on the money, with the No.17 driver – described by Coulthard as “a class act” – setting the benchmark.
Coulthard was a prime championship contender for much of last year before ultimately finishing third behind Jamie Whincup and McLaughlin. Having steadily recovered ground since leaving the Adelaide seasonopener placed 20th overall, the 35-year-old Gold Coaster is not counting himself out of contention for another shot at the crown given a maximum of 2700 points are still available across the remaining nine rounds.
Supercars return to the streets of Townsville from today to Sunday.