Will Determined to Take Points Lead

Will Davison believes he should be the Championship leader, coming into this weekend’s Wilson Security Sandown 500.

“I think I deserve to be leading and you want to have more points than anyone else from the first race to the last,” the Pepsi Max FPR driver told v8supercars.com.au when asked about the Championship standings.

“I don’t complicate things too much in terms of being chased or being the chaser. 

“Sure, when you are leading you can wind yourself up and put extra pressure on yourself but at the end of the day if you’re leading it means you’ve done a better job than everyone else.”

Sitting just 55 points adrift of leader Jamie Whincup – who interestingly feels he should not be at the top of the table – Davison has a strong pairing coming into the first of the endurance races this weekend with former main series driver Steve Owen alongside.

Davison says the tight Championship is the story of the year, as everyone is so competitive on-track.

“It’s certainly very different than the past few seasons where it’s been the same group of guys up the front and there has been no other cars getting involved to take the points away from one another.

“Now it’s so competitive that guys are 10th one day and first the next, and guys are having good and bad weekends. Consistency is really important but I always knew the enduros were going to play an important role in this year’s Championship.

“I was really determined to come into the enduros within striking distance and at the end of the day I know the PIRTEK Enduro Cup is going to make or break the Champion.”

Davison has come close to Championship victory before. In 2009, driving with Holden Racing Team – he finished second and believes it was his strong showing in the endurance events, paired with Garth Tander – that put him in that position.

He is hoping to go one better this year.

“I’ve been in Championship contention quite a few years now but haven’t quite been able to grab it, so the pressure is certainly there this year, but I think I can handle it pretty well.

“We all know that having a co-driver for the endurance events is part of the deal and that’s what the Championship is all about.  So you have to try and get the best possible driver and I am absolutely rapt that I’ve got Steve. 

“He’s certainly got a lot of pressure on him this weekend, but I’m not going to try and make him nervous about my Championship.

“We’ve got to make sure we go for gold at the big events and I think the added element of the Endurance Cup is exciting and it’s something else to win. We’re going to go out and try and win that cup. I think if we win that it will put us in great stead to win the big one…

 “I won eight races last year but the endurance races robbed me.  Right now I have the sprint format down pat so if we can replicate the endurance results of 2009 that will be the final bit of the puzzle that will finally get me that Championship.”