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Shane van Gisbergen will start tomorrow’s deciding race for the Coates Hire V8 Supercars Challenge at Albert Park from pole position due to points accumulated from the opening three heats.
Although a non-championship meeting, points are awarded for each sprint in order to set the grid for Race 4 and ultimately determine an event winner.
Van Gisbergen has 219 points courtesy of two wins and a second, while team-mate Jamie Whincup will start on the outside of the front-row courtesy of a second, a third and a Race 3 victory.
Craig Lowndes will start third having completed Triple Eight’s second podium sweep in as many races this afternoon.
CLICK HERE for Speedcafe.com’s Race 3 report and the full result.
Van Gisbergen was 6.6s adrift of Whincup in Race 3 but is confident of an improved showing tomorrow following the opportunity to have a rethink on set-up.
“We made some changes to our car and it was pretty obvious that it wasn’t as good as yesterday, we really struggled,” he said after Race 3.
“The weather at the start, I just wasn’t that confident with the car (because I was) still getting a feel and Jamie pulled a nice pass at Turn 1.
“I was able to run with him until it dried up and my car went off.
“But the top three is great for the team and to not be happy with the car and still run second is awesome.
“We’ll start up front again tomorrow and hopefully go alright for the overall.”
Whincup had trailed the Triple Eight trio to finish third in Race 2 and admits that the stark turnaround in fortunes today was largely due to set-up.
“It highlights the fact that we’re all in identical machinery and it’s all down to how you tune it,” he said.
“The engineering behind the scenes is what the game is all about.
“My car was what I’d call ordinary yesterday but it was much better today.”
Regardless, Whincup drove serenely amid challenging track conditions.
“The conditions were tough with the rain spitting at the back of the circuit,” he said.
“It was pretty intense because the front of the circuit pretty much remained dry.
“It’s always awkward racing team-mates but it’s a good thing that we’re all racing up the front.
“The big change from yesterday was the F1 rubber.
“I don’t know what it is with the tyres these days but they don’t actually lay rubber, they just ball up.
“Everywhere off-line was full of marbles. I’m not sure whether it’s the brand or what they’re making the tyres out of.”
V8 Supercars Race 4 starting order, Albert Park
1 | Shane Van Gisbergen | 219 |
2 | Jamie Whincup | 208 |
3 | Craig Lowndes | 181 |
4 | Fabian Coulthard | 175 |
5 | Chaz Mostert | 170 |
6 | Garth Tander | 162 |
7 | James Courtney | 141 |
8 | Michael Caruso | 120 |
9 | Tim Slade | 118 |
10 | Scott Pye | 116 |
11 | Rick Kelly | 108 |
12 | Chris Pither | 94 |
13 | Mark Winterbottom | 91 |
14 | Cameron Waters | 91 |
15 | Scott McLaughlin | 87 |
16 | David Reynolds | 85 |
17 | Lee Holdsworth | 83 |
18 | Will Davison | 83 |
19 | Dale Wood | 76 |
20 | Tim Blanchard | 65 |
21 | Nick Percat | 60 |
22 | Aaren Russell | 57 |
23 | James Moffat | 43 |
24 | Andre Heimgartner | 41 |
25 | Todd Kelly | 25 |
26 | Jason Bright | 21 |
