Chaz Mostert scored an Albert Park double after a damaged tyre stopped Shane van Gisbergen from making it three in a row.
In a thrilling conclusion to the Supercars’ round at the Australian GP, Mostert ended van Gisbergen’s Albert Park assault after a lightning pitstop forced the Red Bull star into a chase.
Unstoppable in the previous two races and looking likely to dominate again, van Gisbergen locked up his Commodore while stalking Mostert and damaged his tyre.
Mostert had already won the battle when van Gisbergen’s damaged tyre blew on the second last lap.
“We weren’t that competitive on the softs at the start but the guys did such an awesome job in the pitstop,” Mostert said.
“We just stuck to our strategy and that is what you have to do. You have to try and put Shane under pressure and that is what we were able to do.”
The win was set-up by the 6.8 second pitstop that forced van Gisbergen to chase.
“We forced one little mistake,” Mostert said.
“He had that lockup and it helped me get away with it. He had the job done on me on the soft tyre but he elected to go one lap sooner. I pushed everything on that in lap and I got out in front of him. I am so grateful because the team did such a wonderful job and it was them that gave me the win by what they did in pitlane.”
It was Mostert’s third win of the season in another indication that Walkinshaw Andretti United are the real deal in 2022.
“We still have some work to do but overall the car is good,” Mostert said.
“To get two wins this weekend is awesome.”
Having lost his battle with Mostert, van Gisbergen was heading home for another podium when his tyre blew on lap 19.
The tyre mishap handed a double podium to Dick Johnson Racing with Will Davison finishing ahead of Anton de Pasquale.
Van Gisbergen however did enough in the previous three races to win the Larry Perkins trophy for the round win.
- News.com.au