hero-img

De Pasquale wary of Winton 'unknowns'

18 May 2022
Winton returns after a three-year absence
3 mins by James Pavey
Advertisement

Anton De Pasquale knows he is in unfamiliar territory heading to this weekend’s Pizza Hut Winton SuperSprint.

De Pasquale arrives in Winton second behind championship leader Shane van Gisbergen.

Despite not recording a win yet this season, De Pasquale has avoided the gremlins that plagued his 2021 campaign.

Through four rounds, De Pasquale has recorded six podium results in 2022.

Winton poses a favourable opportunity for De Pasquale, with the circuit proving tough for rivals Red Bull Ampol Racing to crack.

The Triple Eight squad have won just once in the past 17 races at the rural circuit.

Van Gisbergen claimed the team’s last win in Winton in 2017, which was its first since 2012.

Conversely, Shell V-Power Mustangs have won the last three races in Winton, dating back to 2018.

However, the last time van Gisbergen arrived at a circuit he had never won before, he won two races.

Nevertheless, both drivers share some common challenges in Winton, namely the circuit being the home track of Supercars' seven southern teams.

Both De Pasquale and van Gisbergen have also turned laps on the new Dunlop Super Soft tyre compound at the circuit either.

De Pasquale acknowledged his team's strong form at Winton, but was far from declaring it a done deal.

"We missed out on last year, we got halfway down there [Winton] before it was cancelled," De Pasquale said.

Advertisement

"I am looking forward to getting back there and seeing what our cars have got, as it’s my first time it the Shell V-Power Mustang there.

"I think we have a pretty good package, so we will get down there and have a go.

"[Winton] is one of those tight and twisty tracks where you need the car in a good window.

"The surface has also changed over the years, and it is the first time on the Super Soft, so there are a lot of unknowns to it all.

"That plus it is a SuperSprint weekend, it always comes down to rolling out the truck well on the first day, to have a good Saturday, and have a good think about it on Sunday.

"But I think we should be there or thereabouts, and in the window.

"With the Super Softs there’s a little bit of a speed difference but tyre degradation at Winton in recent years hasn’t been that much.

"Whether the Super Soft has a whole different element to it there, we will find out."

De Pasquale and teammate Will Davison combine for six poles in 2022, with the latter claiming DJR’s first win of the season in Perth.

Cars will hit the track for practice on Saturday ahead of Race 13.

The Repco Supercars Championship season will resume for the Pizza Hut Winton SuperSprint across May 21-22. Click here for tickets. 

Every session of the event will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and streamed on Kayo.

The Seven Network will broadcast highlights on Saturday and Sunday.

Related News

Advertisement