RECAP: On the second anniversary of Shell V-Power Racing Team’s first victory, the team has achieved a repeat 1-2 result around Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania.
While that result in 2017 saw Fabian Coulthard take the team’s first win, with McLaughlin second, it was a reverse of that today around the 2.4km circuit.
Despite battling a sinus infection, McLaughlin qualified a strong second before getting a brilliant start to beat pole-sitter Mark Winterbottom to the first corner. He was then able to build a gap across the opening stint of the race.
Coulthard started from fourth, slotting into third with a strong pass on David Reynolds early in the race before driving up to Winterbottom ahead of his pit stop. Coulthard took service on lap 19, using the undercut to pass Winterbottom and claim second place.
McLaughlin pitted a lap later, slotting back in front of Coulthard. The pair then were able to work together to build a gap to Winterbottom behind.
The only threat to this was Shane van Gisbergen, who took his stop late and used his fresh tyres to drive up to the final podium position, however he ran out of time to catch either of the Shell V-Power Mustangs.
Following the 1-2 finish, McLaughlin leads Chaz Mostert in the Championship by 135 points, with Coulthard only seven points behind in third.
The team leads the Teams’ points by 227 over Brad Jones Racing, as Triple Eight have dropped to third place.