Jamie Whincup has earned his first Supercars win of the season in a wet and wild sprint at the Australian Grand Prix.
The seven-time champion’s mastery in the rain allowed him to steer clear of trouble and the chasing DJR Team Penske at Albert Park on Saturday.
Whincup led from pole position until the chequered flag and was never seriously threatened by Scott McLaughlin or Fabian Coulthard in second and third around the street circuit.
He toyed with disaster on lap six, losing control of his Commodore ZB around turn one but retrieving it from the grass to continue in the lead.
It was far from the only slip in the 13-lap sprint.
Cam Waters let slip fourth place after a dogged fight from Red Bull HRT’s Shane van Gisbergen, who nabbed him on the final lap.
Van Gisbergen retains the series lead after four championship races but will find the final two races of the weekend tougher going.
Qualifying issues has the 2016 champion starting from well back and last place in Sunday’s final sprint.
Whincup improved to 10th place in the series with the win, while Scott McLaughlin now sits second – 67 points behind his compatriot.
Further back, there was plenty of action.
Chaz Mostert ended Nick Percat’s grasp on sixth place on the second last lap after a successful hunt of the Holden man.
After being docked points for shunting Jack Le Brocq in Friday’s race, won by McLaughlin, Simona De Silvestro again found herself in a bingle.
The Nissan Swiss Miss got caught in a sandwich between Garth Tander and Todd Hazelwood, which ended the Ford driver’s afternoon and will see a post-race investigation.
Le Brocq was also penalised for an incident that turned James Courtney around.
Craig Lowndes leapt up nine places from last in the grid but recorded a DNF with steering issues.
SUPERCARS RACE FOUR RESULTS
1. Jamie Whincup (Holden)
2. Scott McLaughlin (Ford)
3. Fabian Coulthard (Ford)
4. Shane van Gisbergen (Holden)
5. Cam Waters (Ford)
6. Chaz Mostert (Ford)
http://www.espn.com/v8-supercars/story/_/id/22890291/whincup-defies-wet-aust-grand-prix
