McLaughlin’s pain, Mostert’s gain

Mostert gets the jump at the start of Race 4
Mostert gets the jump at the start of Race 4

Scott McLaughlin has had his winning run ended in sensational circumstances with an on-track crash before the third race of the Beaurepaires Melbourne 400 had even started.

The bizarre accident happened on the ‘out lap’ as the cars made their way to the starting grid where ARMOR ALL Pole Position was waiting for the reigning Supercars Champion.

Somehow McLaughlin and Cam Waters came to blows as the cars drove to the grid, the heavy damage from the clash putting both cars out of the race.

With 150 Championship points on the line for the longer race it was a devastating blow for McLaughlin which almost cost him the Championship lead to Jamie Whincup.

McLaughlin returned to the pits without taking to the grid, and was absolutely livid.

“Those guys come out blazing all the time, I understand they need to get to the grid, but I just had no idea he was there, so I just was doing my normal thing and then all of a sudden, whack," he said.

Mostert alone at the front
Mostert alone at the front

“I had slowed down a fair bit before and then it all happened, so I haven’t seen the vision on his car but for the moment where I stand, I am expecting an apology.

“Sorry to everyone out there, there are worse things going on in the world, but we will come back tomorrow and be stronger."

It was the same for gun youngster Cam Waters who was involved in the crash while following McLaughlin who right rear axle was heavily damaged.
Waters’ left front wheel and axle were also badly damaged in the contact.

“I was passing a few guys, and out of (turn) five, I stayed hard right to try and pass Scotty. I thought he’d seen me, and he went hard left, I went to go and he went hard right," said Waters.

“You don’t know where else to go, so I’m not taking the full responsibility; but that just shouldn’t happen."

It left Nick Percat and Tim Slade on the effective front row for the start with the two lead cars missing.

Mostert celebrates
Mostert celebrates

The Brad Jones Racing pair got jumped by Whincup early in the race after the seven-time Champion made a cracking start.

Teammates Slade and Percat tangled soon after leaving the former dropping numerous spots and allowing Chaz Mostert into third with David Reynolds behind him.

Mostert undercut in the pits which proved a master stroke, giving him a deserved race win after a series of bad luck in the opening races of the season cost him podiums.

"I really love this track and the boys gave me a great car," Mostert, whose previous solo win came at Queensland Raceway in July 2017, said.

Earlier McLaughlin had maintained his perfect start to 2019 with victory in the opening race of the day which doubled as the 1,000th Australian Touring Car Championship/Supercars Championship race.

The Shell V-Power Racing driver led from start to finish in the 13-lap sprint, as Mostert and Waters rounded out an all-Ford podium at Albert Park.

It was McLaughlin's 29th Supercars win, and fourth from as many starts in his title defense.

Race 4 Results

POS # DRIVER TEAM TIME POINTS
1 55 Mostert Supercheap Auto Racing 51:50.001 100
2 88 Whincup Red Bull Holden Racing Australia +1.211 92
3 14 Slade Brad Jones Racing +1.908 86
4 9 Reynolds Erebus Motorsport +2.388 80
5 12 Coulthard Shell V-Power Racing Team +3.641 74
6 2 S. Pye Mobil 1 Boost Mobile Racing +4.895 68
7 23 Davison Monster Energy Racing +5.270 64
8 22 Courtney Mobil 1 Boost Mobile Racing +8.658 60
9 8 Percat Brad Jones Racing +9.493 56
10 7 Heimgartner Nissan Motorsport +9.982 52
11 99 A. de Pasquale Erebus Motorsport +10.304 48
12 5 Holdsworth The Bottle-O Racing Team +10.685 46
13 18 Winterbottom Preston Hire Racing +10.853 44
14 35 T. Hazelwood Bigmate Racing +11.371 42
15 19 J. Le Brocq TEKNO Woodstock Racing +12.233 41
16 15 R. Kelly Nissan Motorsport +12.577 38
17 33 R. Stanaway Wilson Security Racing GRM +12.910 34
18 78 S. De Silvestro Nissan Nismo +12.928 35
19 34 J. Golding Wilson Security Racing GRM +13.693 32
20 3 G. Jacobson Nissan Nismo +16.147 30
21 21 M. Jones CoolDrive Racing +16.750 28
22 97 Van Gisbergen Red Bull Holden Racing Australia +2 Laps 26
NC 17 McLaughlin Shell V-Power Racing Team +25 Laps 0
NC 6 C. Waters Tickford Racing +25 Laps 0

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