Scott McLaughlin is chasing a new surfboard as prize in the Gold Coast 600 race this weekend at Surfers Paradise.
”This track requires a lot of bravery and commitment, but rewards you when you use the most of that. Our car is normally pretty good around here. We got a podium last year, hopefully we can go out and get our second surfboard and instead of being second be first,” said McLaughlin.
Co-driver Alexandre Prémat stepped onto the podium at Gold Coast last year with the duo together securing second place and the Frenchman is confident of a good result this weekend.
”We had a podium one year ago and hopefully we can achieve that in both races this year. I am confident we can achieve a really good result here. It is a pretty amazing track, especially on the back straight along the beach, going through all the curbs. It is a really tough track,” said Prémat.
David Wall and Chris Pither are looking for revenge in the second Volvo Polestar Racing entry after being forced out of the previous round at Bathurst with technical issues.
”The Gold Coast 600 is an awesome event, street circuits always produce awesome racing. It is all about getting over the curbs. After the disappointment at Bathurst, Chris and I want to get there and have a good result,” said Wall.
”I lived at the Gold Coast for six years, so the event has got quite a home feeling for me. I am excited to jump back into the #34 Volvo and I think we have shown a lot of potential in the past two endurance races, but unfortunately haven’t manage to convert it to the result we hoped for. I am really looking forward to hopefully finishing off on a high note and I think the car is definitely fast,” said Pither.
The Gold Coast 600 weekend starts on Friday with four practice sessions, followed qualifying and races on Saturday and Sunday.
Gold Coast 600 – V8 Supercars
Circuit: Surfers Paradise Street Circuit
Length: 2980 m
Lap record (V8SC): 1:10.0851, Will Davison, 2011
Schedule
(Times in UTC +10h)
Friday 23/10
09:30 Practice 1 (30 min)
11:45 Practice 2 (30 min – co-drivers)
13:20 Practice 3 (30 min – co-drivers)
15:05 Practice 4 (30 min)
Saturday 24/10
10:00 Qualifying (20 min)
11:20 Top Ten Shootout (1 lap)
14:35 Race 26 (102 laps)
Sunday 25/10
11:55 Qualifying (20 min)
14:30 Race 27 (102 laps)
Championship Standings – Top 5
1 Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon 2491 points
2 Craig Lowndes Holden Commodore 2092 (-399)
3 David Reynolds Ford Falcon 1855 (-432)
4 Chaz Mostert Ford Falcon 2017 (-474)
5 Fabian Coulthard Holden Commodore 1934 (-557)
…
9 Scott McLaughlin Volvo S60 1434 (-1057)
24 David Wall Volvo S60 774 (-1717)
TV Schedule
Australia: http://www.v8supercars.com.au/view/tv-schedule
Europe: http://www.motorstv.com
Sweden: http://www.viasat.se/sport/motor
International: http://www.v8supercars.com.au/v8live/schedule