Report card: Scott Pye

With a break between Winton and Darwin, supercars.com is analysing the drivers’ results and performances in this first part of the season. The racing is the closest in history, with nine different winners in 11 races.

Scott Pye, DJR Team PenskeEngineer: Adam De Borre

Average qualifying position: 11.8Average finishing position: 14.1Championship position: 16Points to leader: 419Wins: 0Pole positions: 1

Best result: Third at Phillip Island, Sunday

Low point: Tyre failure at Phillip Saturday when running eighth

For: Pye says he has everything on his wish list this year at DJR Team Penske.

The team has expanded to two cars, is well funded, focused on winning, and he has a strong engineer in De Borre.

Pye has a year of experience in the Ford Falcon FG X, and De Borre engineered one well for Chaz Mostert in 2015 – so both have good knowledge of what they’re working with (more than their teammates).

Pye has speed, and all the ingredients but is yet to crack his first Supercars win – we saw Tim Slade do it, is Pye next?

Another plus is that Tony D’Alberto should be a quick co-driver, new to the DJR Team Penske stable for 2016.

Against: There are still followers who doubt Pye can get the job done.

Often compared to his fellow Dunlop Series graduates Chaz Mostert, Scott McLaughlin and Nick Percat, who have all won races, Pye is yet to seal the deal.

His future continues to be questioned, with the rumours McLaughlin is headed to DJR Team Penske next year.

The team: Fabian Coulthard says DJR Team Penske is ahead of its development schedule, having already scored podiums and poles this season.

The group is still learning to work together, and has made some strategy and pit stop mistakes, though they seem to be coming good.

While the team does not seem to be applying pressure to perform, surely there’s plenty when driving with the names of two motorsport legends on the door?

Rating: CHas more experience with the car, but is lower-placed than teammate Coulthard