Factory Ford driver Mark Winterbottom says that Ford needs to win a V8 Supercars race as soon as possible – and he wants to be the first to do it.
While the blue oval has crossed the finish line first in 2010, it was at the Australian Grand Prix support race at Albert Park where no title points are awarded. That win went to Jim Beam Racing’s James Courtney.
Winterbottom, the Orrcon Steel Ford Performance Racing star, is currently second in the V8 Championship Series and says he wants to be the first to clock up a points win and hunt down Jamie Whincup’s impressive lead in the series.
“The Fords are running well. I’m second in the championship. Courtney is third and (Shane) van Gisbergen is fourth. We’re all breathing down the neck of Jamie Whincup,” he said.
“Ford needs to win, and I want to be the first man to win Ford’s first official race this year and I think we have a good chance.”
On the other side of the fence, Toll Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander is still taking each race one at a time, despite his recent run of success at the Clipsal 500 and Albert Park.
“Yes we’re 11th in the championship and yes we’ve closed the ground to the leader, but we’re under no illusions that it’s going to be a very long year for us to fight our way back and be a realistic championship contender,” he said.
For more pre-race news, view the V8 Video News Release below …
