Winterbottom confirms mechanical issue

Mark Winterbottom is confident he and Steve Owen can take back-to-back titles at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 next weekend, now the team has rectified a mechanical issue suffered at Sandown.

While Winterbottom has been a strong frontrunner this season, his performance across the past few events have been inconsistent, which has ultimately seen him surpassed in the Championship standings by Craig Lowndes and drop to third.

Both 'Frosty' and team boss Tim Edwards were unhappy with the performance at the 500 that ultimately saw Winterbottom, paired with Steve Owen, finish an unexpected 10th.

Winterbottom was convinced post-event that result was down to a problem with the car - and sure enough, the Pepsi Max Crew has found and solved the issue ahead of the 1000, now ready to come out all guns blazing.

"We found an issue with the car, which was a shock absorber issue that went in the car, so effectively the wrong settings were put on and it got fitted," Winterbottom told fans in a live chat last night.

"So that explains the poor race pace and the mistakes from Steve Owen, when he spun out and stuff. He copped a hard time, but the car was bad."

Returning to Mount Panorama as the defending champ, there will be pressure for Winterbottom to perform and keep the Peter Brock Trophy at FPR, after both the driver and team broke through for victory in 2013.

Even before finding the damper issue, 'Frosty' was confident he and Owen could finishing p1 at Mount Panorama - that hasn't changed.

"It's pretty cool to go back as the defending champ - I genuinely think we can still win this race," he said.

"At Sandown our car was very quick when we had it set up properly. So time will tell."

Winterbottom believes the team's preparation at the Campbellfield workshop was similar to last year during the Bathurst lead-in, when FPR identified a problem they were having with wheel nuts. They solved that and went on to win the next big race - a feat they are, of course, hoping to repeat.

"Really we just have to make sure everything is right with the car, because once you're in there, it's impossible to win.

"Preparation at the workshop has been pretty good - it really seems similar to last year where we had pit stop issues and changed all our wheel nuts.

"This year we had a damper issue - a couple of damper issues - and that's been addressed. I think you will see better results from us moving forward, but time will tell. I think we can still win this race."

Of course, leaders of both the team and drivers' Championships, Red Bull, is who Winterbottom considers the biggest threat to going back-to-back.

But with many teams picking up their game, he knows there will be a number of worthy challengers over the weekend.

"The Volvo's going to be a threat, because it handles well in a straight line - and Mountain Straight, Conrod Straight, it's dead time ... we're going to need a good car for the top of the mountain ... HRT has got quick cars on the straight - so lots of threats.

"But effectively, you beat Triple Eight and you're going to get close to winning it."

The circuit itself is also set to challenge drivers to a new level - a resurface means increased grip, something teams will need to learn about quickly.

"The track surface is going to be a big change," Winterbottom added.

"We don't know about setup - I think lap-times are predicted to be a second and a half to two seconds quicker, so a lot more grip. We need to set the car up for that grip.

"That's probably the biggest hurdle, and making sure you use the practice sessions because before you know it, it's going to be race time and you can get underdone ... that's going to be the biggest hurdle. Get on top of the track grip and the difference between drag and performance - straight-line speed versus car handling - so a couple of things we need to work on."

The Supercheap Auto begins in one week's time, with three practice sessions scheduled for Thursday.

Can Winterbottom and FPR make it back to back? Tell us below, and grab your tickets now to see the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 live.