How aggressive De Pasquale threw down new marker in Finals chase
Anton De Pasquale held firm in tense Tasmania exchange with Will Brown
De Pasquale's aggression came after twice having strong results go begging
2015 champion Mark Winterbottom believes aggression caught Brown unawares
David Reynolds spearheaded Chevrolet's resurgent weekend in Tasmania, stealing the headlines with a welcome return to the podium in a single-driver event, his first since October 2023.
However, his teammate could've been up on the podium with him. In fact, off a front row start, Anton De Pasquale jumped polesitter Chaz Mostert to take an early lead.
By lap three, De Pasquale had been shuffled back to fifth, Mostert, Reynolds, and Andre Heimgartner all muscling their way by in the space of four corners. Sixth at the chequered flag was tough to take when a win was in the offing.
Perhaps that would explain the last-gasp move he attempted on a wounded Matt Payne with a podium on the line in the following race. Off the road he speared sending smoke signals, Will Brown benefitting to steal fourth.
The potential win gone begging to start the weekend is a story that has followed De Pasquale throughout his career, conservatism perhaps costing him when push comes to shove.
De Pasquale's Team 18 predecessor Mark Winterbottom agreed with the sentiment, and even went so far to say that it impacted the way he raced the 30-year-old during the final years of his glittering full-time career.
"When I look at De Pasquale, when he was in my mirrors, it was always one where it was like, 'Oh he's not going to pass me,'" said the 2013 Bathurst winner on Supercars' The Run Home podcast.
"That's not a critique, he's always been quite conservative, but on the weekend I'm sure Brown had that same mindset.
"Although we study our competitors and you have a bit of a read on your mind that if this guy is behind you, you're safe, or if this guy's behind you he's going to attack and hurt you."
But, the final race of the weekend could be a major turning point in the story of De Pasquale's season, as the script was flipped, and the #18 Camaro played the aggressor.
Once again, Brown featured, the pair trading blows as they battled over third early in the 200km race. But instead of falling back through the pack as he did 24 hours prior, De Pasquale held his ground.
This time De Pasquale emerged as the winner, Brown sent on a wild trip through the gravel and lucky not to wipe out the chasing pack behind.
De Pasquale's message was clear: Enough is enough.
"Brown roughed him up, and then literally next minute De Pasquale was like, 'No, I'm not copping that,' and knocked him off," Winterbottom continued.
"I guarantee Brown would not do that again knowing the outcome, and that probably surprised him as much as me when I was watching.
"That's good for De Pasquale, that's good to show your aggression and show that you're not going to get pushed around, because Saturday Race 1 he did get pushed around by Reynolds.
"A couple of others pushed him around and he folded, but Sunday was elbows out, and showed a bit of flex."
Ultimately De Pasquale would finish the finale in fourth, and whilst he wouldn't walk away from Tasmania with any trophies, the statement he made in his skirmish with Brown will perhaps be more important in the long run.
The hard edge that the 10-time race winner displayed is something that could prove to be pivotal when the Repco Supercars Finals Series kicks into gear, especially given the intensity from last year's Finals has carried over into the current regular season.
Had it not been for a penalty on the Gold Coast, De Pasquale would have been a 2025 Grand Finalist, having starred at Sandown despite being knocked out of title contention.
Should the aggressive side of De Pasquale mix with a continued form upswing for Chevrolet, there's no reason the DEWALT Camaro can't be right in the mix once again.
Winterbottom further summised: "To win the championship and get into Finals and work your way through, that's how you have to drive.
"So I thought that was good from Anton to see how much he wanted it, not get pushed around, and actually do it in a way where he'd still come out and held position, and push Brown off to make him lose position.
"It was quite clever how he did it, and more of that from Anton would definitely help his championship hunt."
De Pasquale gained a position in the championship in Tasmania, and sits sixth ahead of the betr Darwin Triple Crown from June 19-21. Tickets are on sale now.
