McLaughlin "content" with controversial Bathurst win

McLaughlin and co-driver Alex Premat secured one of the most contentious victories in Great Race history last season, the fall-out from which saw his DJR Team Penske squad hit with as record-breaking $250,000 fine.

That was for instructing Fabian Coulthard to deliberately hold up the field behind the Safety Car, which helped McLaughlin maintain critical track position heading into the race's closing stages.

There was more controversy to come, McLaughlin retrospectively stripped of his pole position a month after the race once it was revealed his qualifying engine failed post-race technical checks.

The pair of controversies led to some rivals questioning the legitimacy of the victory, as McLaughlin argued that he won the race fair and square.

He's not changed that stance a year on, either, McLaughlin telling The Loud Pedal podcast that he's "content" and "proud" of his achievement as he prepares to return to Mount Panorama.

"You'd be lying if you said you didn't want to come back stronger and prove a point, I guess you could say. But I'm fully content on knowing that I won Bathurst," he said.

"Personally, I can't ask for much more than that. I'm proud of it, I'm never going to give it back, my name's always going to be there. That won't change.

"I'm sure that the public persona of the victory, and a few other things... you're never going to change some people's attitude, regardless of how quick we were, regardless of how many laps we had to do to bring it home, or what we had to do to bring it home.

"I'm pretty pumped to come back there with another strong car, hopefully, and give it a good crack. If it happens it happens, if it doesn't it doesn't. You have to take the opportunity when it comes. And we did. And I'm glad we did."

McLaughlin will head to Bathurst as one of the pre-race favourites, helped by having experienced former full-timer Tim Slade alongside him.

He'll also be free of any title considerations, a third-straight crown having been secured last time out at The Bend.