Fitter, stronger, faster

IT was the COVID comeback that left the V8 field fearing they are only fighting for second.

Fitter, faster and fully focused, Scott Mclaughlin confirmed himself the V8 king when he flogged the field to win the Sydney Supersprint in a return performance that has his rivals running scared.

Emphatically dismissing any suggestion that he has lost his V8 desire by winning the final race to make it a Sydney double, the DJR Team Penske driver declared he is firmly focused on winning his third straight crown after restarting the season with a blitz.

Mclaughlin, who declared he does not have an American Indy deal, said the forced 108day coronavirus break had renewed his V8 desire.

“It is all about determination,” Mclaughlin said.

“The whole group has been through some tough times, as has the sport, and it is just the love and the want to go racing again.”

Having denied he was set to quit the sport at the end of the year to race in America after his first-up Sydney win, Mclaughlin said gruelling lockdown training had left him in career-best shape.

“I am really excited to be back,” Mclaughlin said. “The break has really made me appreciate what I do … I have trained hard during the break and I am fitter and stronger.”

And ending any hope from his rivals that the break may slow him down, Mclaughlin showed he had both the speed and strategy to prove himself the best on a weekend when the sport tried to slow down the V8 heavyweights by introducing tyre restrictions.

Having sacrificed his second race to save rubber, Mclaughlin survived a late challenge from Lee Holdsworth to claim the final race of the Sydney Supersprint.

“The car was so much better on its tyres in that race,”

Mclaughlin said. “I think we were able to show our true pace when it evened out with all the tyres. That was really cool. I just got into a rhythm and got going which felt really good. It is nice to be able to get better and continually improve.”

Jamie Whincup anointed himself as Mclaughlin’s biggest threat by claiming a clean sweep of podiums to upstage his Red Bull Holden Racing teammate Shane van Gisbergen.

But the best of the rest was left marvelling after Mclaughlin flew in his Ford and the Mustang marched on.

“I am certainly happy with three podiums,” Whincup said.

“We will go away with a smile on our face but Car No. 17 was just too fast. We are very disappointed that we couldn’t do more. We made it too easy for them.”

Mclaughlin extended his championship lead to 49 points ahead of the Winton round beginning July 18.