Want some pressure? How about being the two co-drivers about to climb into the hot seats in the V8 Supercars championship.

Just one point separates Holden’s Jamie Whincup and Ford’s Mark Winterbottom following this weekend’s round at Sydney Motorsport Park in one of the closest title races in V8s history.

Now though it gets serious as the championship enters the endurance portion of the year, with the Sandown 500 and marquee Bathurst 1000 the next events.

That brings with it the unique challenge of having to hand your car over to a part-time driver for at least one-third of both events – a potentially title-deciding act of faith.

Winterbottom will race with former teammate and former Bathurst winner Steven Richards, while Paul Dumbrell – who only stepped out of full-time driving last year – will partner Whincup.

Both men will have a huge responsibility to play their part in ensuring a title challenge stays on track.

Whincup says he has full faith in the man he’ll be giving the keys to his Commodore to on September 16 at Sandown.

“It’s all part of the challenge,” Whincup said.

“It’s not a lottery. We don’t pull names out of the hat. We feel like we’ve done a good job.

“We’ll give them a few miles in the car at test days before Sandown and then again before Bathurst.”