V8 – The peloton returns to Darwin

From Perth in the southwest to Darwin in the north of Australia, the V8 Supercar crossed the country-continent for the sixth round of the season. On the Hidden Valley track and its straight line of more than a kilometer, Mark Winterbottom will appear as leader of the classification at the wheel of his Pepsi Max Crew Ford. “We had a long break and we were able to take a look at what we did well and what we didn't do well, explains the 33-year-old Australian. If there’s one round to give us extra confidence, it’s Darwin, because we’ve always had good results there. I hope we can maintain our lead and start the next phase of the championship as well as we finished the first. » The Ford driver has finished on the podium nine times in the last twelve races on this track. He will logically be one of the favorites.

Behind the Ford, the Holden Commodore, notably those of the Red Bull Racing Australia, remain in ambush. If outgoing champion Jamie Whincup is only 4th in the general classification with 213 points, his teammate Craig Lowndes, second 101 points behind Winterbottom, believes that the speed of the Commodores in qualifying could help him. “We will be aiming for our team’s first pole at Hidden Valley.  There are good overtaking opportunities on this circuit. However, you will have to watch the tires because it is very hot in Darwin. »

Three races will be on the menu for this weekend in V8, two on Saturday, and the last on Sunday. In the history of the discipline, no driver has managed to win the Triple Crown, namely three victories over the same weekend in Darwin. Premiere this weekend?