Skaife surprised by WAU's strategy win over Triple Eight
WAU defeated Triple Eight with strategy play in Gold Coast finale
Chaz Mostert was under-fuelled, undercut Broc Feeney to take lead
Mostert now second behind Feeney heading to Sandown Semi Final
Walkinshaw Andretti United’s successful Gold Coast finale strategy play over Triple Eight will add another element to The Finals battle, says Mark Skaife.
Chaz Mostert and Broc Feeney were class of the field at the opening Repco Supercars Finals Series round in Surfers Paradise last month.
Mostert won both races, twice overhauling championship leader Feeney. However, where the Saturday win was sealed with an on-track pass, it was Sunday that caught Skaife’s attention.
Feeney opened up a 2.5s lead over Mostert as the second round of stops approached in the Sunday race. Feeney stopped on lap 57, and was stationary for 22 seconds. Mostert stopped two laps later, and was stationary for 19 seconds.
WAU delivered Mostert out in the lead, which he held until the end, save for a spirited Feeney attack on the penultimate lap.
Speaking after the race, Mostert said: “Today’s performance was all the team. They were perfect in the pit stops, they held their nerve under pressure, and I wouldn’t be in victory lane without them.”
Feeney added: “That one certainly stings. We improved a lot overnight and we were the fastest car on the track but we got beaten by fuel economy in the end. We couldn’t compete with that [re]fuel time.”
All told, after beating Triple Eight with speed on Saturday, WAU won with strategy on Sunday.
Speaking post-race, five-time champion Skaife believes the outcome has added more fuel to an already burning Finals fire, with Mostert and WAU playing themselves back into the fight.
“The team’s strategy to actually outdo Red Bull in the pit lane was very good, so that bodes well for The Finals,” Skaife said on the broadcast.
“I think this will be a pretty poisonous one for when they go back… when you put it in perspective, they're still the team and the operators to beat.
“Someone will have to come along and knock them off to beat them, which this weekend was Chaz Mostert.”
Seeing the #25 Mobil 1 Optus Ford emerge 1.5s ahead, after being 2.5s behind before the stops, was a surprise. In commentary, Skaife said he had an “ice cream headache.”
It was the third time in as many events that the #88 has tripped up, following a refuelling drama at The Bend, and crash for Feeney in Bathurst.
“It’s a two or three second pit lane gain [WAU] has made. We were completely surprised, we thought for sure Feeney would go out in the lead, and that wasn’t the case,” Skaife added.
“For them to be outdone in the pit is very un-Triple Eight like. A bit of a punt — that was a bit of fuel consumption, a short fill which was helped by the Safety Car.
“But it’s a punt that worked. As the Finals close down, you’re going to have to take a few punts."
WAU Team Principal Carl Faux celebrated the win over Triple Eight, saying: “It was a real team effort, from leaving our qualifying on Saturday until the last minute to then under-fuelling Chaz Mostert’s car to get track position on Sunday. We out-played the team that usually sets the pace and that was a fantastic effort."
The Repco Supercars Finals Series resumes at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on November 14-16. Tickets for the Semi Final are on sale now.
