McLaughlin cruises to comfortable win
Considering New Zealand Supercars racer Scott McLaughlin didn’t make it to the grid for race three of the Albert Park race weekend, he can say he had a 100 per cent success rate, winning every race he started.
The only spoiler for the Mustang pilot was an altercation with Cameron Waters as they made their way to the grid for race three yesterday afternoon, ending both their races before it even started.
McLaughlin has been dominant all weekend, and despite losing out on points in race three of the weekend, he leads the championship on 500 points from Jamie Whincup (469) and the only bloke to really challenge the Kiwi, Chaz Mostert (437).
Starting from the front row in the last race of the weekend, McLaughlin executed his now trademark start and held off the chasing pack to lead into the first corner and was never really challenged. Mostert chased McLaughlin home, with Whincup rounding out the podium.
“I feels really good to be back in victory lane. I don’t count [Saturday night’s] race [the one he didn’t start], so let’s go five from five,” said McLaughlin straight after the race with a wry smile.
“At the end of the day, it was a great job from everyone. I feel like I’m nailing those starts, which makes me feel really good.
“I had a really good run into turn one with Chaz and I’m just stoked for everyone at Shell V-Power Racing and Ford Performance — just a great start to our year and we’ll press on.”
A number of cars over the weekend featured black wing mirrors with a New Zealand fern on them and McLaughlin dedicated his win to the people of Christchurch.
“You just can’t dwell on it, you’ve got to focus and you’ve just got to get on with things. Like I said before, there’s a lot worse things happening in the world [than the race three DNS]. This is a little blip on our radar and we’ll just push on.
“Again, everyone in New Zealand, this us for you, and we’ll enjoy that New Zealand national anthem.”
The next best-placed Kiwi was Andre Heimgartner in 14th, with Fabian Coulthard, who was shoulder charged off the track by Shane van Gisbergen, trailing him home. Van Gisbergen’s horror weekend continued when he received a 15-second penalty for the Coulthard altercation and eventually finished 22nd.
The luck of the fourth Kiwi in the series, Richie Stanaway, hasn’t improved after switching teams in the off-season, copping a $10,000 fine for repeatedly ramming the back of Lee Holdsworth in Saturday’s race. He could manage only a lonely 21st.
The next race is the Tasmania SuperSprint at Symmons Plains in three weeks.
Everyone in New Zealand, this us for you, and we’ll enjoy that New Zealand national anthem.
Supercars leader Scott McLaughlin