LAP OFA LIFETIME
Scott on pole at Bathurst
This year’s Bathurst 1000 race will see the greatest chance of a New Zealander standing on the top step of the podium in recent history.
It might even be the most likely there has been in the 54-year history of the Great Race.
Former Kiwi driver and four-time Bathurst winner Greg Murphy can’t remember a time when New Zealanders were in a better spot to win.
“Much higher because they are all in the best machinery,” Murphy told the Herald on Sunday. “Fabian [Coulthard] and Scott [McLaughlin] are in two of the best cars, SVG [Shane van Gisbergen] is in one of the best cars. [Richie] Stanaway is in a very good car, maybe one that is getting closer to those other guys.
“In the past, we have had guys running around in cars that weren’t as good. They could drive good but needed more things to fall their way to win. At the moment, they have everything they need to win.”
McLaughlin and Coulthard have been dominant in the Shell V-Power Fords all season as their DJR Team Penske team has made great use of the 2017 Dunlop tyre.
But while McLaughlin takes an 84-point championship lead into the event, his team will need to find the right set-up for the 2016 tyre, which will be used at Bathurst this year.
Tyre blowouts have plagued the championship this year as teams have tried to put as much camber on as possible to make the car go faster but that puts extra pressure on the tyre, resulting in sporadic failures.
A decision was made to revert to the older tyre at high speed venues such as Bathurst and Pukekohe and that could be an advantage for van Gisbergen and title contender Jamie Whincup at Red Bull Holden Racing, who proved the team to beat last year.
Whincup and co-driver Paul Dumbrell were in a fight at the front of the field when a tyre blowout dropped them back and cost them a chance at winning three weeks ago at Sandown. Team-mate van Gisbergen also had a tyre failure late in the race, ruining his chances of collecting points.
“We have no excuses with Sandown. We showed some great pace and pushed pretty hard,” Whincup said.
Murphy doesn’t think the tyre change will have much of an impact at the front of the field but can see it having an effect on the race.
“I don’t see it being a big deal for the top guys because they have got a lot of good information anyway,” he said.