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Whincup 'couldn't be happier' with return to form

21 Jun 2021
Seven-time champ fights back on Sunday at Hidden Valley
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Jamie Whincup was pleased with a return to form on Sunday at Hidden Valley Raceway.

After a “rough day” on Saturday, which featured a poor run to 12th, Whincup rebounded to score consecutive podiums.

Red Bull Ampol Racing teammate Shane van Gisbergen won both Sunday races to extend his series lead to a season-high 221 points.

Whincup haemorrhaged points to van Gisbergen at the OTR SuperSprint, and heading into Sunday, had gone five races without a podium.

His last string of races without a podium came in 2019, when he missed the rostrum six times in a row in the middle of the season.

WATCH: WHINCUP BATTLES MOSTERT IN RACE 13/strong>

Mostert and Whincup swap paint in thrilling fight

The 123-time race winner needed it; Chaz Mostert closed the gap with his Race 12 win with Whincup 12th.

Heading to next month’s NTI Townsville 500, Mostert is just nine points behind in third.

“I couldn’t be happier with today’s results,” Whincup said.

"The car was much better in the last race and was really competitive.

"In that last race, I qualified fourth and got turfed off at Turn 1, but I was able to bounce back from that and be a bit competitive and passed a few cars to get into a podium position.

"I had a good car and I had a bit of grunt as well, which is why I managed to get on the attack.”

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The Whincup-Mostert battle reared its head in Race 13, with the former pushing aside Mostert in a thrilling battle for third.

Mostert had pitted early, which his team later admitted was a “gamble”.

Race 14 saw Whincup shuffled down to seventh after contact at Turn 1, first by Anton De Pasquale, then James Courtney.

With fire in the belly, Whincup forced his way past Scott Pye and Nick Percat, and overtook De Pasquale in the lane when the #11 Shell V-Power Racing Team Mustang stalled.

He then assumed third with an undercut on Courtney, and followed van Gisbergen and Will Davison to the chequered flag.

WATCH: WHINCUP SHUFFLED ASIDE IN RACE 14 START

Elbows are out for Race 14 start

While van Gisbergen is far up the road in the battle for the title, the retiring Whincup remained hopeful as he prepares for Townsville, a venue where he has claimed a record 12 wins.

"I was a bit down from being hit from behind and losing some positions, so I was trying everything I could to make up those positions,” he said of his Race 14 performance.

"It was a great day for teams' points as well.

"We’ve got to keep chipping away at that because there’s still a lot of water to run under the bridge, and a lot can happen between now and the end of the year.

“The more points we can get now, the better for us.”

The season will resume at the NTI Townsville 500 next month. Tickets are on sale now.

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