McLaughlin ready for Supercars green light
THE more things change in Supercars, the more they may stay the same.
The season will return after a 107-day coronavirusenforced hiatus at this weekend’s Sydney SuperSprint with no support categories, no spectators and only limited support crews for teams due to health restrictions.
It also marks the first time Sydney Motorsport Park (SMP) will host a Supercars event since 2018, marking Mustang’s debut at the track.
Yet the portents are good for Ford’s two-time defending champion Scott McLaughlin to maintain his dominance when the round’s three 130km sprint races are held.
Qualifying will be even more important this season with shorter race formats adopted as Supercars play catch-up since shutting down in March.
McLaughlin has a record six pole positions at SMP and is quietly confident of extending his 27-point series lead.
“I certainly believe it’s a track that will suit our car relatively well,” he said. “Hopefully we can put on a good show.”
Holden dominated qualifying in the opening two rounds before the coronavirus shutdown with McLaughlin’s nearest series rival Jamie Whincup and Red Bull teammate Shane van Gisbergen sharing the spoils.
But McLaughlin warned his DJR Team Penske outfit had been working overtime during the pandemic break.
“We had a pretty good solid package beforehand but we definitely weren’t the best and hopefully we’ll come back stronger when we get to the track,” he said.
The two-day Sydney SuperSprint starts on Saturday with all-in practice, qualifying, a top 15 shootout and the first of three 32-lap races.
Laine Clark