Mark Skaife's remorse for Anton De Pasquale, Lee Holdsworth
De Pasquale/Holdsworth lost Great Race after last-lap fuel drama
Outcome "horrible" but error "unforgivable," says Skaife
Six-time Great Race winner Mark Skaife feels for Anton De Pasquale and Lee Holdsworth, but claims Team 18's Bathurst fuel shortage error is "unforgivable."
De Pasquale led the field around Hell Corner on lap 161 in Sunday's Repco Bathurst 1000, but his #18 DEWALT Camaro coughed on Mountain Straight, and cried no more at The Chase.
It was a jarring end to what had been a perfectly-driven race; the De Pasquale/Holdsworth car spent 153 of the first 160 laps in the top five, and dropped no lower than seventh through the pit cycles.
The heartbreak was there for all to see, with the likes of De Pasquale, Holdsworth, owner Charlie Schwerkolt and Team Principal Adrian Burgess all bravely fronting up to media post-race.
Skaife, who called the race for SEN radio, was at a loss.
“It's horrible, but it's unforgivable. It's Australia's biggest car race,” Skaife said on MotorRacing 360.
"At your last stop, you have to put the right amount of fuel in. That's just fundamental, and you have to make it so that you can sprint to the end. So play it out.
"If the Safety Car doesn't come out, they stop earlier, because you’re going at full race pace. So the Safety Car almost rescued them.
"But the reality is, it's Australia's biggest car race, and everyone with every bit of brainpower in that organisation needed to be part of the last stop to work out, not just with software and stuff, but the actual calculation."
Skaife, who had his own fair share of Great Race heartbreak, felt for the drivers.
For 2021 winner Holdsworth, it was a second straight near-miss after finishing second in 2025.
"This is not personal in any way — there's no way that anyone in that place would ever miscalculate, or do anything like that,” Skaife continued.
"It's heartbreaking. I mostly feel sorry for Anton De Pasquale and Lee Holdsworth, who drove so well all day and probably should have won that race.
"Reality is, there’s a massive mistake at the end, and you don’t.”
De Pasquale will fight for the title when the 2026 Finals Series commences on the Gold Coast next weekend.
