Bathurst 1000: Keys to Supercars championship will be in hands of part-timers
SCOTT McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen are battling for the Supercars championship but their co-drivers at Bathurst will bear the pressure of trying to keep their title challenges on track.
Motorsport
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THESE are the men that could make or break a championship dream.
Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen’s title bids will be put in the hands of Frenchman Alex Premat and Kiwi Earl Bamber this weekend with the championship contenders to hand their series leading cars over to the part-timers.
With 300 championship points up for grabs at Mount Panorama on Sunday, Premat and Bamber could crush a championship with a crash.
With DJR/Team Penske star McLaughlin locked in a toe-to-toe fight with Red Bull Holden Racing Team’s van Gisbergen for the V8 title, Premat (DJR Team Penske) and Bamber (Red Bull Holden Racing Team) know they are fighting for more than a Mount Panorama crown.
“For sure there is more pressure in this position,’’ Premat said.
“But driving with a big team like DJR/Team Penske or Red Bull means pressure. The expectations are already set really high because you come here to win.’’
McLaughlin trails van Gisbergen by 55 points heading into the Bathurst 1000.
“Scott hasn’t put any pressure on me,’’ Premat said.
“For him we are here to win the race. At the end of the day if you win the race then you score points so the championship will take care of itself. They ask what is more important? Bathurst or the championship? I say why not have both because if you win Bathurst you will be in a better position to win the championship.’’
Premat will have the added pressure of having one of the biggest names in motorsport watching is every move with team co-owner Roger Penske to fly in from America on Saturday.
“Yes the captain will be here,’’ Premat said.
“So there will be even more pressure. We know he will be watching. But having pressure can be good because it can bring out your best.’’
Come race time Premat will only have his eyes on the prize.
“You just have to focus on what you do well,’’ Premat said.
“You have to forget about everything else and do your job. You just have to do your process.
“We have been working really hard behind the scenes to ensure we have a big weekend,’’
“Our preparation has been good and I am looking forward to seeing how it all plays out. I feel pretty good and now it is up to us to execute everything to plan.’’
Van Gisbergen declared his Bathurst rookie co-driver Bamber will not let him down.
“It won’t overwhelm him,’’ van Gisbergen said.
“It’s all the preparation done beforehand. He would have been sent the rule book, been studying all the rules, our restart procedures, all the stuff he’ll through on the day on track.’’
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