Ford wing man just Fab

FOR 68 racing laps this weekend, Fabian Coulthard’s championship dream will be in DJR Team Penske co-driver Tony D’Alberto’s hands.

Though a consistently solid performer, D’Alberto has never been involved in a fight for the Supercars crown, either as a main or co-driver.

Coulthard has worked year after year to finally get himself in a premier seat and heads into the Gold Coast round leading the championship by 91 points from Holden rival Jamie Whincup.

As per endurance rules, Coulthard will have to rely on his co-driver to keep out of trouble for at least one-third of the two 102-lap races on Saturday and Sunday.

If he can emerge from the Surfers Paradise event with a decent points buffer still intact, it will go a long way towards a breakthrough title for the 35year-old.

But that’s easier said than done, as 2017 Bathurst winner David Reynolds found out last year when his then co-driver Craig Baird made costly mistakes in both Gold Coast races.

Melburnian D’Alberto insists he is not feeling the pressure, however.

“I haven’t even thought about it (the championship) when I have been driving the car so I don’t feel any more pressure this weekend,” he said.

“You just have to assess every situation, every passing manoeuvre. You really have to stop and think for a sec, ‘is this safe or is it a risk’, and you evaluate that but you always are doing that anyway.”

Coulthard and D’Alberto have completed the full circle as a pairing.

The latter’s first time in a Supercar was alongside the Kiwi in 2005. That year onwards they were rivals – even having “a few little incidents on track” – before reuniting this season.

“Fabs and I have a great respect for each other and I think he has done a fantastic job this year,” D’Alberto said.