Go your hardest

Tim Edwards says there are no team orders at Prodrive and his drivers are free to race, with Mark Winterbottom and Chaz Mostert now first and second in the Championship.

After Mostert's two ARMOR ALL Pole Positions yesterday at Sydney Motorsport Park - one of which he converted to a race win - Edwards was pleased, but not surprised by the change in the points.

"I'm kind of not surprised - it's great, and Dave [Reynolds] in fourth as well," he told v8supercars.com.au.

"Chaz has closed in a little bit on it, but obviously Frosty's moved away from Craig [Lowndes] because he finished in front of Craig in both races.

"And it's good ... I think we all saw this coming, the fact that Chaz has got that raw a speed and qualifying up the front as he does."

Winterbottom's Championship lead basically hasn't changed - 267 points over Mostert, when he entered the event 268 points over Red Bull's Lowndes - but this time it's over his Pepsi Max teammate, who won the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 last year.

"There are no orders - of course, who knows what might happen come Homebush ... but as they stand at the moment they're free to race, absolutely.

"There are no orders - go for it boys, just don't take each other out."

While there has been banter about whether the relationship of the teammates would withstand a rise in results from Mostert, Edwards insists the two are closer than ever and has seen no change since his 23-year old driver has become more experienced.

"If anything they're getting better and better friends all the time. They're very close and it's good to see. They're genuinely pleased when their teammate ends up on the podium. Deep down they want to be there as well, but it's a great relationship between all of them and it's great to see."

While yesterday's first race produced another resounding Prodrive one-two finish (with Reynolds fourth), Jamie Whincup bounced back to take the day's second victory with Mostert third and Winterbottom eighth.

Edwards gave credit where it was due, but believes his team still has the edge over a competitor who has been a dominant force in the V8 Supercars Championship in the best part of a decade.

"We always knew they were going to come fighting back but we've had them on the ropes a little bit now so they've got a lot of catching up to do," he said.

"There's a long way to go, we still managed to have pole positions in both races, we've just got to make sure we're at the pointy end. But no surprises whatsoever Triple Eight will come bounding back."

This part of the season was difficult for Winterbottom last year, who did not seem in a good frame of mind at Sydney Motorsport Park. Sandown he was off the pace and Bathurst was caught up in a late race incident with Lowndes.

Edwards acknowledges it's extremely important to maximise points at tracks they didn't do so well at last year - but is as confident as ever in Winterbottom's lead, which is almost one round clear.

"We've been to a lot of different circuits this year and the car's been quick everywhere. But you know what - even if Jamie went on and had a winning streak for the next 10 races, as long as Frosty can maintain seconds, thirds, and fourths ... he's got a sufficient points gap that he can still defend his lead."

Coming into the last round at Queensland Raceway, Prodrive confirmed Mostert's deal with the team, which runs until the end of 2019.

Winterbottom then revealed he is signed to the end of 2018 - so the new A-team is locked in for years to come.

Edwards believes they will successful over those years - and after Mark Skaife's comments that it's now or never for Frosty, said: "I think it's a load of crap".

"The reality is - if for some reason he gets struck by lightning at Bathurst and gets zero points there and that costs him the championship, with his fitness level, his mindset, and the way the team's working, and the car's working then we'd have to go again next year.

"None of those things I've just mentioned are going to change next year.

"We've got great group of people, he's in a good headspace, he's got a fantastic teammate they've got continuity, they know what they're doing for the next few years.

"He's going to be the same as Craig - in a decades time you're still going to find him up there, like he has been the last seven or eight years in the top three of the championship all the time.

"Sometimes he'll get it, sometimes he won't, I don't think this is his last crack at all, that's a load of rubbish."