Showdown time for V8 mates

CRAIG Lowndes will need to unleash his inner mongrel if he wants to beat Holden teammate Jamie Whincup.

MOTORSPORT: Craig Lowndes will need to unleash his inner mongrel if he wants to beat Holden teammate Jamie Whincup to this year's V8 Supercars title, Ford rival Mark Winterbottom says.

Grid favourite Lowndes is just 20 points shy of series leader Whincup as he hunts down his first championship since 1999 at this weekend's season finale at Sydney Olympic Park.

Despite the looming battle, the Red Bull duo insist their friendship is tighter than ever.

But Winterbottom, 124 points behind Lowndes and out to spoil the pair's party, predicts the pleasantries will be short-lived.

"At the moment they're pretty chummy and stuff, but there's a point where it's going to have to change," he said yesterday.

"I'll be putting the pressure on them. They're going to finish to win -- and if one doesn't finish, the other bloke's going to win."

Winterbottom said Saturday's and Sunday's 250km races provided Lowndes the perfect opportunity to step out from four-time champion Whincup's shadow and stamp his claim for a fourth title.

"He's watched Whincup win the previous four (of five) championships," Winterbottom said. "He gets equal equipment and the same opportunity, so there's a point where you'd get pissed with your teammate getting all the results on the track.

"So there has to be a point where he'd have to find that mongrel to beat him. He has to dig deep and get a bit aggressive and show him that he wants it."

AAP