Whincup Feeling Brand New For Title Defence

Champion Jamie Whincup feels like a kid in a lolly shop with a revived spirit ahead of V8 Supercars new Car of the Future era.

Whincup said the arrival of 28 brand new V8 Supercars, his new team title sponsor Red Bull and the lure of improved racing has reenergised his passion ahead of season 2013.

The four-time Champion told Gold Coast Bulletin’s Daniel Meers ahead of a feature story in Saturday’s edition that he felt the most excited he had been in years.

"With a new car and a new naming rights sponsor, the whole mentality at the workshop has changed," Whincup said. "I feel like a new kid at school. I feel like I've changed jobs, which is a great feeling.

"We are going to throw these cars on Adelaide. They'll probably be at 60 per cent of their potential.

"It's okay if we're 65 per cent, as long as our opposition isn't any better. Last year we were from 95 to 99 per cent. The worst was 95 and we were trying to get our car to 99."

Whincup said the challenge had inspired him and his Red Bull Racing Australia team. "It'll be a slog fest, late nights doing our heads in refining this car, and then you look back and think, 'This is pretty cool'." 

Read today’s full story here: goldcoast.com.au/sport. Saturday’s Gold Coast Bulletin will publish the full interview.