Supercars: Battle lines drawn as Erebus Motorsport co-owner Barry Ryan says DJR Team Penske should have been stripped of 2019 Bathurst crown
Twelve months on from one of the most controversial Bathurst races of all time and there is still considerable angst among the beaten brigade over Scott McLaughlin’s win, with one owner saying penalties had not gone far enough.
V8
Don't miss out on the headlines from V8. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A year on from the controversy of the 2019 Bathurst 1000, one team boss has reignited the debate over Scott McLaughlin’s maiden crown at Mount Panorama by declaring DJR Team Penske should have been stripped of the win.
As triple-championship winner McLaughlin prepares to defend his Bathurst title this week, Erebus Motorsport co-owner Barry Ryan said DJR Team Penske’s win remained “tainted” and he was still “pissed off” about it 12 months later.
Red Bull Holden Racing Team boss Roland Dane also said the team’s Bathurst tactics last year had not sat “comfortably with anyone” outside of the Ford squad.
Watch the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 LIVE with FOX SPORTS on Kayo. Every practice, qualifying session and race Live & Ad-Break Free during racing. New to Kayo? Get your free trial now & start streaming instantly >
DJR Team Penske was slapped with a record-breaking $250,000 fine and stripped of 300 team points for issuing an illegal team order to McLaughlin’s teammate Fabian Coulthard.
Coulthard was ordered to “go-slow” in a move to hold up the field, allowing McLaughlin to extend his lead while the race was paced by a safety car.
DJR Team Penske was handed another bombshell penalty on the eve of the Sandown 500 two months later after stewards found the team guilty of an engine breach at Bathurst.
McLaughlin was forced to start the Sandown race from the back of the grid and he was also stripped of his qualifying and top-10 shootout win from Bathurst, while the team was hit with another $30,000 fine.
But Ryan said the penalties had not gone far enough.
“Once they did them for the (team order) and then they had the illegal engine and should have started last on the grid well then 100 per cent they should have been stripped (of the win),” Ryan said.
“You can’t basically qualify illegally and then still keep your race win.
“You can’t do anything about it now, but it still sits pretty bad with a lot of people.
“We’ll just go back there and try and fix it I guess.”
The Bathurst controversy took some of the shine off what was a record-breaking year for McLaughlin en route to his second Supercars championship.
Ryan said it was the “team order” aspect of the controversy which had bothered him the most, claiming it had gone against the spirit of the Great Race.
“I probably feel worse (about it now) … I think they even know that it’s tainted,” said Ryan, whose driver David Reynolds finished fifth.
“I’m a pretty good sport, but I can’t give someone credit when they do something intentional to ruin a race.
“The team order was the worst thing and the way they tried to cover it up then tried to say it was no advantage.
“But it definitely altered the race. We were going to bounce up a lot further but without even worrying about our own result – even if it didn’t involve us – I still would have been pissed off about it.
“It’s just not fair. The amount of effort that goes into that particular race is huge.
“I don’t really want to say the word cheat … but you can call it whatever it was.”
Triple Eight’s Shane van Gisbergen finished second behind McLaughlin and his team boss Dane said the tactics still left a bad taste.
“I think what went on with the engine in qualifying and the tactics in the race I don’t think they sit comfortably with anyone outside of that race team and they still don’t,” Dane said.
“I think Scotty would have had a very good chance of winning that race anyway.
“But it doesn’t sit well with us, it doesn’t sit well with most people to be honest with the sport and it never will do.”
DJR Team Penske boss Ryan Story said the team had moved on from the controversy as it focused on returning to Bathurst to defend its crown.
“We’ve put that behind us and certainly we went through a process there that saw us receive some penalties and created some controversy,” Story said.
“When it comes down to it, Scott McLaughlin and Alex Premat won the race, end of story. And our focus is now on completing the 2020 season in the best way that we can.
“So that’s really where our focus is, not looking back but looking forward.”
MORE SUPERCARS:
What’s the Buzz: Renee Gracie’s regret over Dave Reynolds’ ‘P***y Wagon’ punishment
Bathurst 1000: Holden hero Jamie Whincup vows to avenge his title loss
Responding to suggestions the penalties were not tough enough and the team should have been stripped of the win, Story said:
“I have seen the name engraved in the trophy and that is all I need to see,” Story said.
McLaughlin heads to Bathurst with his sole focus on defending his title after sealing his third championship in the last round at The Bend.
Story added criticism of McLaughlin himself had been unfair.
“The controversy around Bathurst was through no means Scott’s fault (or) Scott’s doing and I think that’s one of the critical messages that was both noted by the stewards and certainly noted by anyone that was paying close attention to the race at hand,” Story said.
“The latter part of last year was quite tumultuous for us. Scott had a big accident on the Gold Coast in the car that won last year’s race … it’s not often you see a chassis that wins Bathurst almost written off not too long after that.
“But he bounced back and I think of his three championship wins to date, 2020 has been one that has impressed me most and is certainly one that the team around him – not to mention (McLaughlin) himself – will savour for a long time.”
Originally published as Supercars: Battle lines drawn as Erebus Motorsport co-owner Barry Ryan says DJR Team Penske should have been stripped of 2019 Bathurst crown