Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia

Adelaide: FPR Saturday notes

VICTORY WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE FOR FPR Mark 'Frosty' Winterbottom credits his first Clipsal 500 podium to team strategy after a stroke of genius from Ford Performance Racing (FPR) launched him into today's V8 Supercar race lead. The ...

VICTORY WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE FOR FPR

Mark 'Frosty' Winterbottom credits his first Clipsal 500 podium to team strategy after a stroke of genius from Ford Performance Racing (FPR) launched him into today's V8 Supercar race lead.

The Prodrive-run team kept the 26-year-old out for an extended second stint, which saw him rejoin in front of previous race leader Craig Lowndes. Winterbottom maintained position for 31 laps in the Ford Falcon, holding off the best efforts of first Lowndes and then Jamie Whincup, but a controversial move from Whincup on the penultimate lap saw the 888 driver take the race win.

Frosty, who finished second, says the result only makes him more determined to register his name among the winners' circle of the iconic Clipsal 500, which is this year celebrating its 10th anniversary.

FPR's Steven Richards fought up the order from ninth on the grid to run in a strong third place after his second pit stop. Tyre wear, however, meant he could not hold back a charging Whincup, who also let Lee Holdsworth through to put Richards fifth.

#5 Mark Winterbottom Orrcon Ford Credit FPR Falcon

"When Craig got behind me after the second stop I was pretty much just holding him there. Our brakes went away a little bit and that cost us a bit of time at the end but if the safety car hadn't come out on lap 70 bunching us all up again I could have been on the top step today.

"In the end, though, FPR believes this is our weakest round and yet we're starting in P2 tomorrow so I'm looking forward to seeing what the other rounds can bring! We've got points in round one and we know the second half of the season will be strong for us so I'm happy with today's result.

"In terms of Jamie's pass, I feel I got pushed out the way but he probably feels differently. I'm not going to complain about it; you just move on. We'll have a good night's sleep tonight; we've got a bottle of champagne to help with that, which is always good!"

#6 Steven Richards Castrol FPR Falcon

"I'm pretty sure we stopped early relative to Jamie Whincup so when he came out of the pits I had ten laps more on my tyres plus the car was working its rear tyres very hard. I couldn't sustain the pace. I had a little slide and that allowed both Jamie and Lee Holdsworth up the inside of me.

"I'm starting fifth tomorrow. The car is fast enough; I think we had the second fastest lap of the race so we just need to make it hang its tyres in a bit more. With a couple of good pit stops and good strategy and if the driver keeps it on the black stuff, we could end up with that win!"

FPR Team Principal, Tim Edwards

"We have broad guidelines for strategy before the race but we have to react to things as they happen. Today we had our game plan, which we played out. By lap 46, when we took the lead, it certainly made the last laps feel like about 125! Frosty was very calm though. Prior to the safety car on about lap 70 we were keeping Mark up to date with Craig's times and he just adjusted his pace to match.

"We finished last season very strong and all of our quotes to the media since then have been to the effect that we intend to start as strong as we finished. I think we've demonstrated that today. Coming out of the box so strong puts us in a great position for the rest of the year. Our target tomorrow is to have both drivers in the top five again and then we'll be in a very strong position for the rest of '08."

-credit: fpr.com.au

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Adelaide: Tony D'Alberto preview
Next article Ashley Cooper succumbs to injuries in Adelaide

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia