King of the mountain! Scott McLaughlin claims his first Bathurst 1000 in VERY dramatic circumstances – before his team is accused of ‘disgraceful’ sportsmanship
- Supercars series leader Scott McLaughlin claimed a maiden Bathurst 1000 title
- He held out Holden star Shane van Gisbergen on Sunday by 0.68 of a second
- Supercars great Larry Perkins accused the team of ‘disgraceful’ sportsmanship
Supercars series leader Scott McLaughlin has claimed a maiden Bathurst 1000 title at Mount Panorama after a dramatic finish.
Ford’s McLaughlin held out Holden star Shane van Gisbergen on Sunday by 0.68 of a second, with veteran James Courtney third after the six-and-a-half hour marathon came down to a final-lap sprint.
‘I can’t believe I bloody won the Bathurst 1000,’ McLaughlin said after earlier breaking down in tears immediately after crossing the finish line.
But McLaughlin’s victory was marred by accusations from Supercars great Larry Perkins that his Shell V Power Racing Team exercised ‘disgraceful’ sportsmanship.
Supercars series leader Scott McLaughlin has claimed a maiden Bathurst 1000 title at Mount Panorama after a dramatic finish
Scott McLaughlin (left) and co-driver Alexandre Premat of the Shell V-Power Racing Team celebrate their win in the 2019 Bathurst 1000
McLaughlin’s victory was marred by accusations from Supercars great Larry Perkins (right) that his Shell V Power Racing Team exercised ‘disgraceful’ sportsmanship. Pictured with Chaz Moster
It looked like a two-horse race with 26 laps to go after McLaughlin’s then third-placed Ford teammate Fabian Coulthard controversially slowed down to back up the rest of the field, as the series leader and Whincup raced to their garage for a pit stop during a safety-car period to get much-needed fuel.
Coulthard’s move ensured a 13-second gap between van Gisbergen and race leaders Whincup and McLaughlin.
It eliminated van Gisbergen’s 10-second fuel advantage on McLaughlin and Whincup on the run home.
Scott McLaughlin drives the #17 Shell V-Power Racing Ford during the Bathurst 1000
Ford’s McLaughlin (pictured) held out Holden star Shane van Gisbergen on Sunday by 0.68 of a second
Couthard copped a pit-lane penalty for the unsportsmanlike tactic which was labelled ‘disgraceful’ by Perkins.
Leading Ford drivers Cam Waters and Chaz Mostert – looming in third and fourth respectively – appeared threats but came into contact, ploughing into the gravel together on lap 124 to prompt a safety car and end their title quest.
Mostert made contact with Waters and both ended up in the gravel at The Chase, much to the disbelief of their livid team bosses in the same Ford garage.
Mostert incurred a pit-lane penalty and finished 16th while Waters was 21st in the 26-strong field.
The victory marked the first Bathurst win by McLaughlin’s DJR team since 1994
Mostert broke the race lap record in the dying moments, clocking two minutes, 04.76 seconds.
The victory marked the first Bathurst win by McLaughlin’s DJR team since 1994.
McLaughlin extended his series lead over nearest rival van Gisbergen to 622 points.
‘I can’t believe I won the bloody Bathurst 1000,’ said an emotional McLaughlin, who had Alex Premat as his co-driver.
‘I have dreamt about this. I put so much pressure on myself to make this a good one but I am so proud of this team.’
A total of 201,975 people flocked to Mount Panorama over four days.
A total of 201,975 people flocked to Mount Panorama over four days