Red Bull Holden Racing Team star Jamie Whincup says closing the gap to rivals DJR Team Penske is vital for the health of the Supercars championship.
The Ford team continued a remarkable 2019 in Perth with Scott McLaughlin claiming pole position for both races at Barbagallo Raceway and he and teammate Fabian Coulthard claiming a win each over the weekend.
It means DJR have won 10 of 12 races this season with McLaughlin holding a 142-point lead over Coulthard in the championship standings.
Whincup says DJR’s dominance is dangerous for the category as a whole but changing the situation is on his team – not their rivals.
« These guys have raised the game and we’re still doing a similar thing to what we’ve done the last three or four years, » Whincup said.
« It all makes sense but really for the sake of the competition and the category we really need to step up to make a race of it.
« It’s really up to us to step up and make a battle of it. If we can do that everyone will win. »
The seven time champion’s second-place in Saturday’s 83-lap night race was his first podium since the Australian Grand Prix round in March.
It lifted him up to sixth on the standings having come into the weekend ninth, but he still trails McLaughlin by over 400 points.
« It’s a lot, » Whincup conceded.
« The points are where they are … we were absolutely nowhere at Phillip Island, so we’ll see what rolls.
« No point talking championship this early. »
http://www.espn.com/v8-supercars/story/_/id/26673797/supercars-needs-us-lift-says-whincup
