The Shell V-Power Racing Team have topped off a record-breaking 2019 season by securing the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Teams’ Championship title, to go alongside Scott McLaughlin’s Drivers’ crown.
“I’m so glad to finally be able to celebrate with my team,” commented McLaughlin. “We won the teams championship too, that’s bloody awesome. I’m disappointed I didn’t blow both tyres in my burnout, I only blew one of them! I’m just glad it’s all done and we can party now, I can’t wait to have a few beers tonight. I think anytime an organisation can take 20 wins is pretty impressive. When the chips are down, like after the Gold Coast crash, to come back and just get on with it, I couldn’t be prouder.”
In a year where the team took an incredible 20 victories across 32 races, including the coveted Bathurst 1000, securing the Teams’ title and the number one pit garage that goes with it was a fitting finish.
In Race 32 of the Championship, McLaughlin and teammate Fabian Coulthard only needed to finish inside the Top 10 to take the title. They did far better than that, with Coulthard stepping onto the podium for the second time this weekend and McLaughlin finishing a fighting fourth.
The race win went to Jamie Whincup who held off a rejuvenated Fabian Coulthard. Joining Whincup and Coulthard on the podium was Tim Slade from Brad Jones Racing.
“I learnt from Bathurst in 2014 that it’s not the result that’s the most important thing, it’s the effort,” said race winner Jamie Whincup. “We threw everything at it this year as a team. We had our backs against the wall at the start of the season and if you were to take a guess that we would be winning both races in the final round; if you said we were going to do that we’d say we were absolutely kidding ourselves. But we ground away hard all season long and from New Zealand onward we were as competitive as anyone.
“It’s something we should definitely be proud of. The effort was as great as any other season that we’ve done. Given the circumstances, unfortunately we didn’t end up with the biggest trophies for the year and we won’t be at the end of pit lane that we wanted to be, but in saying that I couldn’t be prouder of everyone.
“No doubt the vibe is good, it’s as good as it’s ever been and we will keep pushing on the next month or so; look forward to a nice break and then make sure that we come out of the box fast in 2020.”
The Drivers’ title is McLaughlin’s second, after also winning in 2018, while the Teams’ title was last won by Shell V-Power Racing in 2017.
The margin in the Teams’ points was 155 over Triple Eight, with McLaughlin winning the Drivers’ title and Coulthard securing fourth place.
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