Coulthard shocker costs title chase lead
FABIAN Coulthard’s weekend of woe continued yesterday with the DJR Team Penske pilot taking another Townsville tumble.
Coulthard’s title hopes took a battering when he followed up a Saturday shocker with a Sunday horror show.
Coulthard finished 21st yesterday and slipped to third in the title fight. “It is one to forget that is for sure,’’ Coulthard said.
“But I have been in far worse situations before. And our season is far from over.”
Surrendering his championship lead to Shell V- Power teammate Scott McLaughlin when he finished 11th in the first 200km race, Coulthard dropped another spot yesterday as Red Bull warrior Jamie Whincup overtook him. Coulthard failed in qualifying to allbut ruin his hopes of hitting back with a Townsville win.
Things went from bad to worse in yesterday’s race when he collected Holden driver Tim Slade. That sent him from 12th to 18th place in the race before he was hit with a 15- second penalty.
Coulthard was left in a hopeless battle at the back as Whincup pounced to steal second place in the championship from the Kiwi.
Leading by 10 points before his forgettable weekend, Coulthard now trails McLaughlin by 158 points and Whincup by 152.
“We have a little bit of work to do,’’ Coulthard said.
“We will go back to the drawing board and come back better.’’