Lowndesy Dishes On Why The Supercars Will Be Unmissable At Albert Park

Racing For Keeps


Article heading image for Lowndesy Dishes On Why The Supercars Will Be Unmissable At Albert Park

The Supercars have been on the programme at the Australian Grand Prix for as long as we can remember.

But this year will be different.

This weekend they're racing for points.

Veteran driver Craig Lowndes dropped in on Triple M's Hot Breakfast with Eddie McGuire in Melbourne and told them he's pretty pumped they're not just driving around for show.

"It's great that it's finally become a championship round - we all race there, we all put the cars under pressure, we all crash them up for no reason, now obviously we've championship points which is fantastic, we've got 4 races over the course of the days and looking forward to it."

Lowndesy says it's overdue for an event that's long been a favourite in the Formula 1 paddock.

The mechanics are often seen gawking at the V8's.

"They are amazed with our cars, because of the sound of them, the weight of them, we crash and bash and we still continue to race whereas the Formula 1's you knock a little winglet off, the drivers are all screaming and yelling about understeer and oversteer and other stuff."

"It's a great spectacle, we put on a damn good show, there's no doubt about that."

And this year they're playing for keeps in four races as part of the Coates Hire Supercars Melbourne 400.

"We've got two longer races - 1 hours races, then two shorter races on Saturday and Sunday. It's up for points, we've actually got something to race for now."

Shane van Gisbergen swept the opening round in Adelaide

But what would Aussie F1 superstar Daniel Ricciardo think of a Supercar?

Lowndesy's got no doubt the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing pilot would take to it like a duck to water.

"Daniel I think would have a great time, a lot of fun for him, I'm sure driving around like ours."

"We're very much big horsepower, under-tied vehicle. When you look at Formula 1 it's all downforce, huge amount of grip, very much to get them sideways, but for him (Ricciardo) I think he'd have a lot of fun."

This year's series boasts perhaps the youngest list of drivers ever seen and at 43, Lowndes is now the oldest of the lot and admits the sport's seen a huge generational change during his time.

"When I started the Brocks, the Johnsons were all around, Larry Perkins and really for me the average back of a driver back then was about 45, now it's about 25 or 23."

Also making a shift, is Holden, which will begin testing a V6 engine at selected events later in the season ahead of its full time adoption.

Lowndes told Triple M he remains firmly on the fence.

"It's got the horsepower, it's got actually a good note, but it's nothing like a V8."

 

For tickets and event details (including the Supercars) for the Formula 1 2018 Rolex Australian Grand Prix click here.

You can listen to Lowndes' full interview with the Hot Breakfast crew below.

Sean Maynard

20 March 2018

Article by:

Sean Maynard




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