- Ford Performance Mustang Supercar wins at Phillip Island after Shell V-Power Racing’s Scott McLaughlin wins Race 9 with team-mate Fabian Coulthard taking his first victory of 2019 on Sunday afternoon to win Race 10
- Tickford Racing posted a strong result with three of its Mustangs finishing the top six in Sunday’s race, led by Milwaukee Racing’s Will Davison, while Supercheap Auto Racing’s Chaz Mostert showed pace with two third-place qualifying results
- Shell V-Power Racing’s McLaughlin continues to lead the drivers’ series after four rounds in the #17 Ford Performance Mustang, 124 points ahead of Coulthard, with Supercheap Auto Racing’s Chaz Mostert third in the title chase
- The Ford Mustang road car will celebrate its 55th anniversary globally this week, commemorating its debut at the World’s Fair on April 17, 1964. Mustang is the world’s – and Australia’s – best-selling sports car for 2018.
“What a fitting way to head into the Mustang’s 55th anniversary week,” said Ford Australia Marketing Communications Manager, Tony Jordan, who was trackside at Phillip Island. “Tickford rebounded from a challenging round in Tasmania, and brought home a strong haul of points, while Shell V-Power Racing Team was the class of the field with superb qualifying and a pair of race wins.”
The famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit played host to a two-race event, with knock-out qualifying used in Tasmania employed once again on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Both sessions saw reigning champion and current series leader, Scott McLaughlin, claim pole position ahead of team-mate Fabian Coulthard, with Shell V-Power Racing locking out the front row of both races. The scintillating qualifying form set-up strong race performances that saw McLaughlin lead Coulthard home on Saturday, before Coulthard took the win ahead of McLaughlin on Sunday afternoon.
“A sensational weekend overall; great execution by the team,” said Shell V-Power Racing Team co-owner and Team Principal, Dr Ryan Story. “We’ve got two fast cars at the moment, and both drivers are doing the job and doing the business on the racetrack, and that’s where it counts. You can’t do that without a great team behind you, and all the guys and girls at Shell V-Power Racing Team Racing Team and all of our partners are truly the best people you could possibly work with. To get the results we’re having is truly a reflection upon the morale and the teamwork that you see within the team; it’s a hallmark of the culture that we’ve bred over the last five or six years.”
Tickford Racing showed great speed across the weekend, with Chaz Mostert in the #55 Ford Mustang qualifying third for both races. Tickford’s Sunday race saw Mostert sandwiched between team-mates as part of a strong third-fourth-fifth result. Will Davison posted the team’s highest place, with fourth on Sunday afternoon.
“The exciting thing about Will’s fourth place on Sunday afternoon was that he was probably one or two laps away from getting on the podium – it was pretty close near the end.” said Rod Nash, Tickford Racing Australia Managing Director. “It has been a solid weekend for Mustangs, and for our team, with three right up there in the end. It’s just good for the team. We go away from here with a whole lot of data and success in our book.”
Nash was also pleased at the result heading into Mustang’s 55th anniversary, with Mostert’s race Mustang carrying the #55 in Mustang’s inaugural season as a Supercar. “I came into this category 22 years ago, and I just picked car #55 to come into it,” said Nash. “So it’s a little bit special for me too, that it’s aligning with something really special with Mustang.”
The Ford Mustang was the best-selling sports car in Australia in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and made its race debut as a Supercar at 2019 Superloop Adelaide 500 in March.
Round 5 of the 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship will be held between 2-4 May with the Pirtek Perth Supernight in Western Australia. Tickets can be purchased via supercars.com.au
