A driver best known for a spectacular 2010 Bathurst crash appears ready to make an impact on this year’s V8 Supercars championship after back-to-back victories at Albert Park on Friday.
Before the V8 exhibition round at the Australian Grand Prix, Fabian Coulthard had never claimed a pole position, race win or top-10 season finish in the category.
The New Zealand driver’s biggest claim to fame was unbelievably emerging unscathed from a scary 290km/h crash at Mount Panorama three years ago, rolling his vehicle six times.
But Coulthard looks set to do some damage on the V8 championship series after consecutive wins on Friday.
Starting on pole for the second straight race, Coulthard finished more than two seconds ahead of series leader Craig Lowndes with the flying Kiwi’s Brad Jones Racing (BJR) teammate Jason Bright third.
However, Lowndes faces an anxious wait as officials investigate a pit-lane incident between the Holden driver and Bright.
No championship points are up for grabs in Melbourne but Coulthard is earning something just as important ahead of the next official round at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains in early April – a psychological edge.
“I was just saying pity this isn’t at Tasmania,” Coulthard laughed.
“I have been in V8s for a fair while now. They say the first win is the hardest.
“I always knew I had the ability to do it – this has restored my faith.”
Bright appeared miffed that he couldn’t complete back-to-back top-two finishes for BJR on Friday after race one’s quinella.
“I lost out at the pit stop – we will see what happens there,” he said of the incident with Lowndes.
However, he warned the Red Bull team of Lowndes and four-time champion Jamie Whincup should get used to seeing BJR in their sights in 2013 after revelling in the new Car of the Future specifications ushered in this season.
“The Car of the Future was always going to be a good thing for us,” he said.
“We were lagging behind in equipment but we have now made steps in several areas – all those things are now in our favour.
“I think we will be strong this year.”
Coulthard surprisingly emerged second behind Lowndes after a compulsory pit stop on lap four of race two.
But Lowndes could only hold on for five more laps as Coulthard once again turned heads with his superior pace.
On a frustrating day for Red Bull, Whincup was the last of the 25 drivers to finish after copping a drive-through penalty for a pit-lane infringement.
Coulthard earlier on Friday notched his maiden career V8 win in the opening 12km race with Bright second and Ford’s Will Davison third.
Coulthard’s dream day was in stark contrast to what V8 punters were used to seeing from the New Zealander.
Coulthard’s previous sole podium was a third placing at Symmons Plains four years ago.
And last year’s 11th placing in the championship was his best in five full-time V8 seasons.
In an encouraging sign for Nissan, all four drivers finished in the top 14 – James Moffat fifth with teammate Todd Kelly eighth – their best result in the manufacturer’s comeback season.
Fellow newcomer Mercedes still has some homework to do – Lee Holdsworth was their best at 18th.
A clash in TV broadcasters ensures the V8 Melbourne round is an exhibition event.
The round concludes with 12-lap races on Saturday and Sunday.
