Supercars 2021: All the news and results from Hidden Valley, Darwin
V8 Supercars pacesetter Shane van Gisbergen wasn’t content with one reminder of why he’s top dog, as he produced another ripping performance in the final instalment of the Darwin Triple Crown.
V8
Don't miss out on the headlines from V8. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Shane van Gisbergen sent an ominous warning to his championship rivals by blitzing the field to claim a Darwin double.
On a deflating day for those that thought the series leader may be vulnerable, the Holden hero returned to form by crushing Dick Johnson Racing with a Hidden Valley hiding.
Bouncing back after an Adelaide anomaly to resume his championship assault, van Gisbergen toyed with his rivals to make it a Darwin double for Holden.
“It was an awesome day and again we got it at the start,” van Gisbergen said.
“It was full credit to the team because we haven’t had a great car and they just kept on chipping away and gave me a good race-car.”
Stream Every Practice, Qualifier & Race of the 2021 Repco Supercars Championship Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
Van Gisbergen started his new hot-streak by beating Will Davison and Jamie Whincup in the first Sunday serving with a drive that helped ease the hurt of a Saturday pit-lane slip-up
The Ampol Red Bull star finished almost two seconds in front of Davison after winning the start-line battle with a flawless launch.
“It was awesome,” van Gisbergen said.
“We got another good start which was great and Red Bull Ampol Racing. Our car was awesome.
“We just needed to get things right today; pit stop was great and just managed the race at the end.
“But it hasn’t made up for yesterday yet and we’ve still got this arvo to go.”
Van Gisbergen was on a mission to recover after a pit-stop area cost him a race-one win.
“We move on with things quick,” van Gisbergen said.
“We analysed last night what happened and put procedures in place to make sure it doesn’t happen today, and a fallback plan if it does, and it didn’t.”
In a race two replica, van Gisbergen beat home Davison and Whincup after getting another rocket off the line.
“I don’t what has happened this weekend because I got three great starts,” van Gisbergen said.
“I managed the pace and drove away when the tyres were nice. I am just so stoked.”
Van Gisbergen admitted his three perfect starts were not the result of practice.
“I haven’t been doing anything,” van Gisbergen said.
“But I need to study what I have done this weekend and repeat it. Be even better next time.”
Earlier Davison continued DJR’s one lap domination by winning both qualifying sessions.
“For me, it’s been a tough couple of days,” Davison said
“I didn’t sleep much last night, I was down on myself.
“It’s such an honour to drive the #17 Shell V-Power Racing Mustang.
“I put big pressure on myself this morning, so a big thanks to everyone in the team, Rich [Harris] my engineer for methodically working through things last night and giving me an absolute weapon.
“I was really thrilled with both my laps.”
Davison, however, had could not hunt down van Gisbergen after losing out in both start-line fights.
Whincup made it a day to remember for Holden by fighting his way onto both race podiums.
Normal service restored as SVG atones for bungle
Shane van Gisbergen championship assault has resumed with the Holden hero claiming the second instalment of the Darwin Triple Crown.
Following a race one pit-lane shocker that ruined his chances, van Gisbergen extended his series lead by holding off Will Davison and Jamie Whincup.
His seventh win of the year, van Gisbergen finished almost two seconds in front of his DJR rival.
“It was awesome,” van Gisbergen said.
“Got another good start, which was great. I just managed the race at the end, but it still hasn’t made up for yesterday. We put procedures in place to make sure it (the pitlane error) doesn’t happen again and it didn’t.”
Earlier, Davison continued DJR’s one-lap domination by winning both qualifying sessions.
“For me, it’s been a tough couple of days,” Davison said
“I didn’t sleep much last night, I was down on myself.
“It’s such an honour to drive the #17 Shell V-Power Racing Mustang.
“I put big pressure on myself this morning, so a big thanks to everyone in the team, Rich [Harris] my engineer for methodically working through things last night and giving me an absolute weapon.
“I was really thrilled with both my laps.”
Watch: Six-car Supercars carnage trips up big guns
Supercars teams are facing a damage bill that could reach $250,000 after a six car pileup broke cars and shattered dreams.
In a stunning start to the race that Chaz Mostert survived to win, Hidden Valley Raceway was left strewn with twisted metal after six cars were taken out in a lap-one smash-up.
Prompting a race stopping red-flag and setting emergency workers into scurry, Anton de Pasquale was sent into a horrifying spin after being battered from behind while locked in a fight for first.
Out of control and facing the wrong way, the DJR star was battered by the oncoming traffic as his dream of winning the Darwin Triple crown took a battering.
And so did his car.
De Pasquale’s flying Ford suffered both front and back-end damage following the carnage that was blamed on Scott Pye.
The incident has left DJR — and the other teams caught up in the turn one smash — in a race against the clock to return their car to the grid for race two on Sunday.
It's absolute chaos at Turn 1 😱😱#RepcoSCpic.twitter.com/kO8YFO2B3o
— Supercars (@supercars) June 19, 2021
DJR were yet to assess the full extent of the damage but were hopeful of returning the mashed-up Mustang to the grid.
The lap one chaos set the tone for a frenetic race that saw a pit lane penalty overturned and tyre pressures investigated.
The drama continued when a pit-lane shocker floored Shane van Gisbergen before Mostert powered his way home to put Walkinshaw Andretti United back on the map.
“I was just hoping to get through turn one to be honest,” Mostert said.
“And I didn’t just get through, I ended up in P3. It was only then that I knew I was in the race. Shane was looking good but I don’t know what happened to him. I ended up having a good race car and full credit goes to the team.
“We may have had a bit of luck but you have to take them when you get them because I have been on the wrong end too many times.”
EVERY angle of that insane race start in Hidden Valley 📹 #RepcoSChttps://t.co/b7S9goP6qb
— Supercars (@supercars) June 19, 2021
Mostert’s win was overshadowed by the crash that sparked a spare parts scramble.
Starting from second, Mark Winterbottom was left fuming after his race finished a few seconds after his start.
“This sport gives me the shit sometimes,” Winterbottom said.
“It’s cruel. It’s just shit. I don’t know what to say. We got ourselves into such a good position and then that happened. But that’s racing. We will just fight on.”
The controversy continued post race when Brodie Kostecki penalised for short cutting the circuit.
Nick Percat was also bracing himself for a penalty with officials launching an investigation into his tyre pressures.
Percat, who finished third behind Mostert and Cameron Waters, was adamant he should not be stripped of his podium.
“I felt like as a driver I did my bit,” Percat said.
“I took a straight car home. It would be hard to take if they took the result away. I didn’t do anything wrong from the driver’s seat for the entire race.
“I raced hard and fair so it would be gut wrenching, not just for myself but everyone in the team. It is hard enough as it is and hopefully I will be able to keep my trophy.”
Percat admitted to his error after the race and made a personal apology to De Pasquale.
Supercars history: AdP breaks 30-year record
Anton de Pasquale continued on from his South Australian qualifying blitz when he broke the Hidden Valley lap record to win the Top Ten Shoot-out.
With big names Will Davison and Dave Reynolds out of contention following qualifying shockers, the DJR driver went out early and put the field on notice with a record breaking time of 1.05.29.
Mark Winterbottom looked like rebreaking the record in what would have been a giant killing one lap blast, but made a minor mistake in the final sector to cost himself pole.
“I pushed and was on the limit,” Winterbottom said.
“But I would rather make a mistake giving it my all than come and now I left time on the track.”
Going out last, van Gisbgergen failed to match the pace of the flying Fords and finished third fastest.
De Pasquale made it three from three with another Scott McLaughlin-like shootout drive.
Despite struggling to pull it up at Turn 6, De Pasquale has put it into P1 and set a new Qualifying lap record in Darwin!! #RepcoSCpic.twitter.com/BhrHPWfWEJ
— Supercars (@supercars) June 19, 2021
WHINCUP FLYING IN DARWIN SO WHY IS REPLACEMENT LAUGHING?
Jamie Whincup has revealed his replacement will get a first-year free hit with the retiring immortal to offer his heir a two-year deal.
On track to extend his legend this weekend after opening the Darwin Triple crown with a practice session win, Whincup declared the next Ampol Red Bull Racing would get a first deal double shot to prove himself worthy of wearing his crown.
Also a part-owner of his all-conquering race team, Whincup is hoping to unearth a future star with second series driver Brock Feeney in line to win the most prized seat in the sport.
“The reason why I’m stepping aside is to give young talent an opportunity,” Whincup said.
“Whether that’s in our team; even if it’s not an existing driver, then that spot will become available for an up-and-comer.
“You sort of need two years; I’d be pushing for any newcomer to try and do a two-year deal.
“The first year, you’re learning the other competitors, you’re learning the circuits, the car. There’s a lot to learn in the first year.”
Whincup’s record breaking full-time career is coming to an end with the greatest championship driver of all time to become an endurance only racer next year.
And while he has been overshadowed by his teammate Shane van Gisbergen this year, Whincup has firmed to extend his race winning record of 123 after going 0.1297sec quicker than Scott Pye to claim a Hidden Valley practice win.
Striking late in the session to steal the fastest time, Whincup is hoping to rack up his eighth win in Darwin.
“The session was good, the weather’s predictable,” Whincup said.
“It’s hot, it’s hot.
“Track stays consistent year on year, and because it’s a Super Soft round, we’ve got plenty of practice tyres to use in practice to try and make the car go quicker.”
Whincup suggested the Darwin Triple Crown could be won in the garage with car set up to prove critical on the tyre destroying surface of Hidden Valley Raceway.
“There’s a big challenge for engineers,” Whincup said.
“You have got to have qualifying pace because qualifying is obviously really important but then you need to make sure you get a bit of a gauge of how long the tyre is going to last.
“We can take a guess, we’ll use that information from the race run to fire into the Excel spreadsheet and see how long we think we can go in the race before we have got to change.”
The Darwin Triple Crown continues on Saturday with practice before the first of three races.
Series leader van Gisbergen was only 0.3 off Whincup’s Friday pace in an indication that he will be in the hunt yet another win.
More Coverage
Originally published as Supercars 2021: All the news and results from Hidden Valley, Darwin
Bathurst crew winner ‘attacked’, hospitalised
Bathurst champion Brodie Kostecki has dropped shock news a member of his team has been “attacked”. Police are investigating.
From home inferno to Bathurst: Star’s ‘gut-wrenching’ 24 hours
On Saturday Declan Fraser’s Gold Coast home was destroyed in a house fire, the next day he was racing around Mount Panorama in the Bathurst 1000. He takes REBECCA WILLIAMS inside the ‘gut-wrenching’ 24 hours.