Scott McLaughlin imperial in C1 in Tasmania

DJR Team Penske is the team to beat at the start of the season, just like the reigning champion Scott McLaughlin started the defense of his crown perfectly well.

The New Zealand driver won the first race in Tasmania this Saturday morning, taking the lead with his Ford Mustang from the first two corners over pole sitter Mark Winterbottom (Charlie Schwerkolt Racing – Holden Commodore), author of pole position one. a little earlier in qualifying.

If Winterbottom could still hope to tip the scales in his favor, a pit stop longer than both DJR Team Penske drivers dropped the driver of the No. 18 Holden Commodore to third behind McLaughlin, now “protected” by Fabian Coulthard.

The order will only change for third place, since Winterbottom must lose at the end of the race against Shane van Gisbergen (Red Bull Holden Racing – Holden), McLaughlin securing his 31st career victory, which also gives him a more than comfortable lead at the top of the general classification with a 135-point margin over Chaz Mostert (Tickford Racing – Ford) only 10th.

Even less success for Jamie Whincup (Red Bull Holden Racing). 15th in qualifying after a spin, the seven-time champion of the discipline was in contact with Mostert during his rise in the peloton.

A touch synonymous with a puncture and a passage through the pits which left Whincup deep in the ranking with a final 25th place.

RESULTS | Breed 7

A @DJRTeamPenske 1-2 aces @mwinterbottom claims an equal best result for @IRWINRacing and P4.#VASC pic.twitter.com/KMc4Epme5C

— Supercars (@supercars) April 6th

Race 1 ranking