Opening win
never stood on the top step of the podium there.
“It would be a big deal if we were finally able to get to the top spot. Last year I think we had the speed to do it — the car was very fast — but we were on the wrong strategy and ended up third.
“It is a great place to start the season. It is just creeping out of winter in the Midwest and there is still snow on the ground so it is nice to get to kick off in a warm place. “The city really embraces the race. Each year they keep improving the track. It has long straights and big braking zones — I think this year the braking zones should be able to create more passing; with less downforce those passing areas get a lot bigger and easier to make mistakes. “You are surrounded by concrete walls so it is not very forgiving.” As is always the case with the 37-year-old, Dixon has two major goals for the year ahead — to win the championship for a fifth time and to pick up a second Indianapolis 500 victory.
“The goals are definitely the same — win the 500 and win the championship,” he said.
“Last year we had a pretty big shift going from one manufacturer to another. I think that really helped us. We learned a lot as a team.
“With the aero changes we should be a bit more equal.
“Everything changes so often even from race to race. You can’t really dwell on last season’s results or even the last race. The tyres change significantly and the tracks change and the competition changes.”
McLaren admires Honda power
McLaren boss Zak Brown admitted he has been impressed with the performance of former engine supplier Honda at Formula 1’s winter testing in Barcelona. The Hondapowered Toro Rosso cars have completed a lot of laps and looked pretty speedy at the test while McLaren, now with Renault power, have been towards the bottom of the time sheets.
Praise for Heimgartner
Kiwi Supercars driver Andre Heimgartner’s return to the category as a fulltime driver has been described as “fantastic” by his Nissan Motorsport team. He was second quickest of the Nissan drivers in both qualifying sessions in Adelaide last week but good results in the races eluded him through no fault of his own.
Indycar to Bathurst?
Walkinshaw Andretti United is pushing ahead with plans for a wildcard entry into this year’s Bathurst 1000 and coowner Michael Andretti has confirmed his Indycar drivers are ‘begging’ to be involved. Andretti’s son Marco as well as Global RallyCross champion Scott Speed have been linked to the seat.
Lester in V8 finale
Jono Lester will line-up in a DFM Racing Ford Falcon at this weekend’s final round of the BNT V8s at Hampton Downs. Lester is still finalising his Asian programme but will make his 2018 debut in a one-off drive.
D1NZ back to Timaru
The D1NZ championship returns to Timaru this weekend for the first time in over a decade. The leading drifting championship in the country last visited South Canterbury in 2007.