Supercars The Bend SuperSprint talking points

The Supercars championship saw a massive shift in the standings this weekend, and while it has not been as comical as Australia’s political leadership spill over the past week, there is a new leader atop the table.

Tailem Bend’s inaugural hosting of Australia’s premier touring car category yielded many talking points across the SuperSprint, from the success of the world-class venue itself to the lack of performance shown by the former standings leader.

A world-class circuit
South Australia’s latest addition to the Supercars calendar has been a hit, but the overall significance of The Bend Motorsport Park is more than just being another event; it’s a world-class racing venue in Australia.

When initially broached the intention was for the Tailem Bend-based precinct to be up to the standard of hosting MotoGP and World Endurance Championship events, categories that require amongst the highest FIM and FIA circuit gradings.

What has been produced is most definitely a product that could in the future host high-profile international motorsport, with its European-style track layout boasting undulation and complex, technical and high-speed corners.

Supercars may have utilised only the international configuration of the multi-layout circuit, but this on its own proved to be a challenging course any category could provide entertaining racing on.

The Bend is a boost for Australian motorsport at all levels, featuring various facilities for training up-and-coming drivers too. With prospective concepts in place for a new permanent circuit at Mount Panorama alongside the legendary 6.2-kilometre circuit and a parklands track in Rockhampton, there is plenty of excitement for new world-class Australian motorsport venues.

Retiring legend in Craig Lowndes gave high praise to the Shahin family, who were the chief architects behind the project, saying, “What they’ve done here is amazing, not only the facilities, the garages and all the other external stuff, the circuit is very challenging”.

(AAP Image/David Mariuz)

Red Bull domination
The inaugural Bend SuperSprint was dominated by the Red Bull Holden Racing Team, who arrived at the weekend chasing the championship lead held by Ford rival Scott McLaughlin.

A win for Shane van Gisbergen on Saturday saw the lead to his compatriot trimmed to just 41 points as the Holden driver took the favourable strategy en route to a hat-trick of wins in the past three races.

Jamie Whincup claimed both pole positions at Tailem Bend, and though he only finished fourth during Race 22, the seven-time champion cruised to victory in the 41-lap Sunday race ahead of his Kiwi teammate by 11.2 seconds.

Given the blank canvas of the new venue, establishing the right set-up for the weekend is challenging, and despite a plethora of mistakes even from the race-winners, Triple Eight reminded everyone why they are the class of the field.

Ultimately the big takeaway for Red Bull from this weekend has been the elevation of Van Gisbergen to the lead of the championship.

(Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

McLaughlin goes missing
Its been four races now since Scott McLaughlin stood atop the podium, and while he’s had a cushy lead in the championship since the Phillip Island round of the championship early in the season, he now finds himself in arrears to Van Gisbergen.

While Red Bull were able to get their set-up to work around the tricky Bend circuit, DJR Team Penske unfortunately did not, resulting in sixth and tenth-place finishes across both races for the Kiwi ace.

Along with a lack of car speed, McLaughlin also appeared to have been lacking the confidence he has boasted all season long too. Doubting himself and the pace of his Ford Falcon has opened the door to the Red Bull vultures, who’ve now won four races on the trot.

Van Gisbergen now leads the championship by 19 points, which is still a slender margin, though for McLaughlin and DJR Team Penske it is of paramount importance to mitigate this form slump in preparation for the crucial Enduro Cup ahead.

[latest_videos_strip]

Comeback kings
From the depths of the tail end of the grid to top-ten finishes in the opening stanza of the Bend SuperSprint on Saturday, a pair of Supercars veterans made stellar charges up the grid in the first ever race at Tailem Bend.

James Courtney and Lowndes lined up 24th and 25th respectively before making the charge through the field to finish eighth and tenth at the end of the 24-lap Saturday race.

Supercars 2010 champion Courtney made a storming start to pass 11 cars on the first lap alone, while Lowndes benefited by pitting one lap before the safety car intervention, which was called as the stricken Holden of Garth Tander was removed from the circuit.

Experience in this instance proved to keep the former champions out of trouble, as there was plenty of chaos throughout the first-ever Supercars race to be held at The Bend.

(VUE Images / Red Bull Content Pool)

Looking ahead
There is still plenty to digest from the maiden running of the Bend SuperSprint, but it’s important now to look ahead to the season of endurance, which will commence in three weeks at the Sandown 500.

The championship standings have seen a shift, with Van Gisbergen now ahead of McLaughlin and with Whincup now closing the margin to 362 points from third. With 900 points on offer through the three long-distance events, the title could be won or lost in the enduros.

Onus falls to the expanded grid, with high-profile co-drivers such as Alex Premat, Paul Dumbrell and Supercars debutant and two-time Le Mans winner Earl Bamber under pressure to deliver for their respective teams.

Even championship outsiders Craig Lowndes and David Reynolds, the latter sitting 565 points adrift of the title leader, can make an impact at Sandown, Bathurst and the Gold Coast and throw a spanner into the works for the two battling Kiwis at the front.