Lowndes: title chances almost gone

Craig Lowndes has all but conceded the 2014 V8 Supercars Championship to Red Bull Racing team-mate Jamie Whincup, acknowledging only a huge points gain at the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 will keep him in the hunt.

Whincup and co-driver Paul Dumbrell finished fifth in a sensational Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 last Sunday, while Lowndes could only manage 10th in his Holden Commodore VF after being punished with a drive through for spinning Ford Performance Racing's Mark Winterbottom at Hell Corner in the closing stages.

Lowndes took full responsibility for the incident with Winterbottom and apologised face-to-face for what could be the setback that ends both drivers' championship chance.

"I honestly just did not see Frosty," Lowndes told v8supercars.com.au. "The sun glare was that bad. I think it was one of the longest Bathurst we have had and the sun was right there.

"I knew he ran a little bit wide but I thought he was okay. I got on the gas to get a run on him up Mountain Straight but he was further wide than I expected and we made contact and I turned him around."

Lowndes entered the Bathurst classic second in the Championship 273 points behind Whincup and exited third and 339 points down.

Winterbottom entered the meeting third in the title chase 267 points behind Whincup and exited it 297 points behind, but back in second place, after finishing sixth with Steve Owen in his Pepsi-Max Falcon FG II.

There are 900 points still up for grabs across the final three championship events, which begin with the two 300km races on the Gold Coast on October 24-26.

"My deficit has extended and I have lost second to Frosty, so we are still in there with a fight but we have to be realistic," Lowndes said. "Unless we have a good Gold Coast we are going to be running around trying to fight for second place in the championship."

Lowndes was philosophical about being defeated for the championship by his team-mate for the fourth consecutive year. If Whincup does win his sixth championship it will break a title tie with Ian Geoghegan, Dick Johnson and Mark Skaife.

"Look, it is what it is," said Lowndes. "We all know the rules and regulations and you have to be consistent. You have to be in the fight every round for an opportunity for points and I think if you are not then you are just not going to be there.

"The championship has been crazy; we have led it at the start of the season, then Frosty come along and he's led it and lost it. Jamie has taken it over but he has been up and down for speed, for performance and consistency."

Last year Lowndes won the Saturday race on the Gold Coast with former co-driver Warren Luff and they went on to wrap up the inaugural Pirtek Enduro Cup.

Lowndes is confident he and co-driver Steven Richards can perform well again this year, although that is only part of the equation because he needs Whincup to have a bad weekend as well.

"I think we can do well," Lowndes said. "Steve and I worked pretty well over the (Bathurst) weekend. He was pretty racy in the car and had some issues at times like everyone did. But he knows the Gold Coast as well as anyone.

"We have to make it work and if we don't we will be running for second (in the championship) not for the win. We only have Phillip Island and Homebush after that. There is still 900 points up for grabs but Jamie is 339 points ahead so it is getting a lot harder."

While three others have been in the fight, with Shane van Gisbergen and James Courtney are tied on 1096, 451 behind Whincup, and Fabian Coulthard 523 adrift, meaning Lowndes and Winterbottom are really the only challengers for the 2014 title.