Tander Encouraged Despite Missing the Podium

It was a dash to the finish line, with Garth Tander and Michael Caruso side by side – but it was the Nissan that made it on the podium by just 0.003sec on the final lap, powering down the Albert Park main straight on Sunday.

The Holden Racing Team ace said he wasn’t surprised the Altima narrowly got by in the last race of the MSS Security V8 Supercars Challenge, as the #2 was carrying damage from an earlier incident.

“I knew it was going to be close – my car had damage on the left rear, so I wasn’t getting on the front straight that well anyway,” Tander told v8supercars.com.au.

“Michael’s car was really fast in that race and he just got us by the smallest of margins, so that’s the way it goes.”

Funnily enough, Tander believed the damage sustained was a consequence of earlier contact with the white Nissan, which ended up third in the overall MSS Security V8 Supercars event standings after that final double points race, won by Scott McLaughlin's Volvo. 

“It was Michael earlier in the race going down the front straight – we just got a whack in the side, so I’m not sure what happened there. But you look at some of the other damage up and down pit lane and I think we got away with it pretty lightly…

“We come out of (Albert Park) ticking a lot of boxes. Sure, we’d like to be winning races but we’re headed in the right direction and that’s encouraging.”

Tander finished the event sixth overall, just 10 points behind three-race winner Shane van Gisbergen.

Despite an upturn in form from the #2, focus was on Tander for more negative reasons on the weekend, after an incident with young driver Chaz Mostert. 

Mostert and Ford Performance Racing boss Tim Edwards were critical of Tander’s driving, but ironically it was the 21-year old who was penalised. Edwards admitted the outcome surprised him, though for Tander the result was what he expected.

“The IPO and everyone involved in the investigation saw it the way that I described it when I was talking to you and how it was reported,” Tander told v8supercars.com.au.

Edwards implied the 2007 Champion was trying to teach the younger driver a lesson – but doesn’t a good driver aim not to let anyone past?

“I’m sure Tim employs his drivers to not let anyone past,” Tander said.  

“I think his comments may be haunting him a little bit, based on the comments made by the stewards and the IPO.” 

Post by Garth Tander - V8Supercar Driver for HRT.

Tander left the season opening Clipsal 500 extremely frustrated after sustaining damage from the large incident involving Jason Bright, after feeling he had the most “hooked up” New Generation V8 Supercar he had ever driven, qualifying on the second row for the 250km race.

But it was his teammate James Courtney's HRT Commodore that clinched the victory at the event. Tander finished a lap down, but 13th nonetheless, positioning him ninth in the Championship race after the season opener.

“We’re further behind than I’d like, by no fault of our own,” he said in regards to the Championship points.

“But it’s a long year and things will happen… We will take the next couple of rounds one at a time and see how they go. With Tasmania and Winton back-to-back, it’s a pretty busy time for the team. We’ll do those two and see how we go. I am mindful of the Championship, but it’s not front of mind.”

Tasmania has been a strong event for Tander in the past – he’s won seven races at the circuit, with Jamie Whincup the only current driver with more wins (Whincup and John Bowe have both recorded eight).

The HRT #2 was on the podium there last year, as was Courtney.

The V8 Supercars will race at the Tyrepower Tasmania 400 in under a fortnight, the event running from March 28-30 at Symmons Plains. Tickets are available now.