Bloody Volvo drivers.
Once the butt of jokes for motorists, the Swedish manufacturers look set to be the bane of V8 Supercars rivals judging by young Scott McLaughlin’s stunning qualifying effort in Adelaide on Friday.
At first, it appeared like business as usual when Red Bull Racing’s Holden team grabbed pole for Saturday’s two 125km races in the season-opening round.
But it seems they won’t have it all their own way thanks to 20-year-old McLaughlin’s remarkable run.
In Volvo’s first touring car appearance Down Under in 28 years, McLaughlin was fifth and second fastest for the season’s opening two races.
“Hopefully this ends the Volvo jokes for now. Lord knows I have heard enough of them,” former Holden gun McLaughlin said.
Jamie Whincup made the perfect start to his quest for an unprecedented sixth V8 title by topping qualifying for race one.
And Red Bull teammate Craig Lowndes – runner-up for the title for the last three years – picked up where he left off to claim pole for race two.
However, the name on everyone’s lips was McLaughlin and the much-maligned Volvo.
They may have been the punchline for countless gags but the Swedish manufacturers had been tipped to have the last laugh by hitting the ground running in 2014 in the V8s.
Yet nothing prepared punters for McLaughlin’s brilliant times on Friday.
Certainly McLaughlin sounded surprised.
“Honestly, I thought a top 15 would be ideal but a top five (in both qualifying sessions) is amazing,” he said.
“We had to build two cars for this year. That included engines and the aero package.
“Our boys have worked hard. They are making me look cool.”
Volvo already look set to outperform last year’s seven debutants, given the best of the four Nissan Altimas and three Mercedes AMG E63s – Rick Kelly – finished 14th overall for 2013.
McLaughlin cheekily hinted that would not be too hard.
“Nissan and Mercedes didn’t help us last year. I don’t want to say anything but they didn’t go the best,” he said.
“No disrespect to them, but we have come out and gone pretty good.”
Volvo’s arrival brings to five the number of manufacturers on a reduced 25-car grid – something not seen since 1992 when Ford, Nissan, BMW, Holden and a Toyota were part of the field.
Whincup made an ideal start to the new season when he claimed pole for Saturday’s opening 125km event, clocking one minute, 20.58 seconds ahead of teammate Lowndes (1:20.73) and Ford’s Mark Winterbottom (1:20.82).
Lowndes (1:20.41) grabbed pole for race two’s twilight event ahead of McLaughlin (1:20.52) and Whincup (1:20.56).
