Davison lift avoided 'big accident' with Whincup

Starting third, Davison made a better getaway to today's 32-lap race than second-placed Whincup.

The pair then rubbed panels as Davison tried to find a way past before Turn 1, Whincup aggressively forcing the Shell Mustangs against the wall.

Davison ultimately conceded, his decision to get out of the throttle something he says avoided a nasty crash. 

"Jamie came across pretty aggressively," Davison explained post-race. 

"I didn't think he'd keep driving me to the wall. Lucky I lifted otherwise it would have been a pretty big accident. 

"I thought I was going to get through [but] it was nearly a shunt. I avoided that luckily."

Davison added that his long-standing friendship with Whincup had nothing to do with his decision to back out of the fight. 

"No," he said when asked if he may have acted differently against another driver. "Because your instinct is to not do anything dangerous. 

"I kept it flat as long as I could, I thought he might eventually concede, but he wasn't letting go of the spot! It's one of those things, it happens. I'm glad I lifted, it wouldn't have been pretty if I didn't."

Whincup played down the issue in his post-race interview. 

"It's always on at Turn 1," he said. "I didn't get the best start, but I was able to hold off the guys behind."

Whincup was more concerned about the rest of the race and how he lacked pace compared to race winner Anton De Pasquale and teammate Shane van Gisbergen as he battled his way to fourth. 

"I hated it," he said. "Painful. Anton just disappeared up the road and my teammate made me look silly. Five or six laps in he had so much pace he was about run over me. 

"I painfully got the thing around to try and get some points. We just weren't quick enough, we didn't deserve a podium. No fun."