De Pasquale: No extra pressure despite McLaughlin run

There's no extra internal pressure at Pukekohe despite Scott McLaughlin’s prior form, says Anton De Pasquale.

McLaughlin won at Pukekohe for the Shell V-Power Racing Team in 2018 and 2019.

The New Zealander also took home the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy in 2018.

The 2019 event was the last Pukekohe round prior to this weekend’s ITM Auckland SuperSprint.

McLaughlin won that race, which also helped him surpass Craig Lowndes' season wins record set in 1996.

De Pasquale and teammate Will Davison burst out of the gate in Friday practice.

It was a Shell V-Power Ford lockout in Practice 1, with Andre Heimgartner third.

In the last weeks alone, the team has welcomed new ownership and re-signed both drivers.

However, De Pasquale was adamant his team is keeping to its own devices.

“I wouldn’t say extra pressure, or anything like that,” De Pasquale said.

“We always want to perform, we always want to be at the front collecting trophies.

“That doesn’t change, no matter where we are or what track.

“Both cars are pushing hard to be on the podium all the time.

“No one’s hanging over our shoulder telling us what they expect.

“We both expect and want to be up there anyway.

McLaughlin won in 2018 and 2019

“We have to put the hard work in and hope it delivers.”

The Ford team arrives in New Zealand off the back of a solid Sandown weekend.

Davison won from pole on the Saturday, but points leader Shane van Gisbergen won both Sunday races.

Separate dramas for Davison and De Pasquale ensured the margin blew out to over 500 points.

The immediate focus, says De Pasquale, is delivering this weekend rather than thinking about a fight for second overall.

Cam Waters, Davison and De Pasquale are covered by just 22 points.

“The points will talk for themselves,” De Pasquale said.

“Obviously he’s a long away ahead, but we’re not worried about that.

“We’re trying to win every race to the end of the year first."

Davison reiterated De Pasquale’s point, saying wins were the team’s single focus.

“It sounds cliched, but we’re focused on trying to win,” Davison added.

“We are where we are, because Shane deserves to be that far up the road.

“We’re focused on winning as many races as we can instead of being second in the championship."

Cars will return on Saturday for Practice 2 at 11:35am local time.

Practice 2 will be followed by ARMOR ALL Qualifying and the first 41-lap sprint of the weekend.

Drivers will race for the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy, which will be awarded to the highest point-scorer of the weekend.