1000km of unpredictability and expectation.

McLaughlin has taken all before him this year. It may almost be a fail if doesn't claim the Bathurst crown.

Aero changes to the Commodore and Altima makes things a little more unpredictable. The racing this year has shown the importance of clean air, will teams use strategy searching for clean air?

Later start to the race this year, 11:30am. Sleep in till the warm up, starting at 8:20am.

Can Reynolds and Erebus bounce back from last year? Can Pye finish 2nd for the 3rd straight year? Will it be a straight fight between DJRTP V RBHRT?

Why the 11:30 am start? They keep pushing and pushing it back,next thing you know,it will be a 3pm start to finish in the later hours of the evening (probably just for the international tv audience).

The race is quicker than ever, with safety car periods less frequent and shorter. Just 26 cars and typically fewer breakdowns than ever.

The later start race will ensure a later finish, closer to 6pm. In turn, this will see higher ratings. Higher ratings will in turn lead to a better TV deal in the future, benefiting teams.

Rain forecast for Friday at Bathurst, with a chance of a little more on Saturday. Thursday and Sunday should be dry. Which means a likely wet qualifying session on Friday. May also benefit the experienced co-drivers who assist with car set-up for the race.

During the race, expect all the full time drivers to start the race. They'll likely do a shortish stint, then the co-driver to double a stint. The co-drivers can then get back in, do another stint to complete minimum laps allowing the full time drivers to likely triple stint to the end. It's a big ask to finish the race with a triple stint and no cool suit, but the cooler temperatures will help.

Expect a fast race again. The WAU cars have shown great fuel efficiency in recent years, but they haven't shown any car speed of late. In recent years, teams have pushed their engines beyond what they are capable of, expect another engine or 2 to go bang.

With fewer safety cars, it will be harder to remain on the lead lap. More pressure will be on the pit crews for smooth stops and quick break rotor and pad changes.

The Mustangs are looking fast, but 1000km is a long way. No winner from pole since 2009.

McLaughlin will rightly be favourite, but this is Bathurst.

McLaughlin & Premat claim victory, ahead of van Gis and Tander.

After the lap 1 safety car, no safety car till lap 101. Plenty of safety cars to finish the race, with awkward fuel windows for all. McLaughlin and DJRTP came out on top with fuel saving, not stopping, plus safety cars helping.

It did appear time and again through the day, fast cars would catch the next, but then be stuck behind. A sign that the cars have too much downforce, causing too much dirty air behind.

Coulthard's dirty trick of bunching the field when the safety car was called deserved a penalty, probably greater than he received. But it likely barely affected the end result. van Gis would still have stacked behind Whincup.

GRM and Golding looked on track for a great result, unlucky to suffer a late vibration. Mostert and Waters... That would be an interesting debrief to sit in on.

Coulthard and DJRTP continue to be investigated about stacking the field under safety car. A hearing is set for prior to the Gold Coast.

Very little will come of it. McLaughlin's win certainly won't be affected. Maybe a fine and a few teams championship points, maybe.

Far more insulting to everyone who could see what it exactly was, but the team tried to deliver different excuses to what occurred.


The ratings for the 2019 race were very high. Benefitting from the later start and late finish. Supercars, Fox Sports and Ten will be very happy.

Agreed, imagine the blow up if they took the win away.

Having said that I certainly think that what happened had a bearing on the overall outcome.

Feel sorry for Fabian, follow "team orders" and get hung out to dry.

As much as I admire Dr Story, he was pretty bloody flippant about it all in his post race interview with Murph.

Verdict from DJRTP hearing with the stewards: Team fined $250,000, with $100,000 suspended, Coulthard relegated to 21st position (last finishing car) & 300 point Teams Championship penalty.

Thorough report from the stewards, acknowledgement from DJRTP they used car #12 to influence the result and strong penalties to DJRTP & car #12. Will it be enough to calm other teams and drivers? Probably not.

Report:
http://www.v8dailydump.com.au/news/15417/Stewards-report-into-DJRTP---Car-12-at-Bathurst.html

And now McLaughlin loses pole, the team is fined and a cloud sits over Bathurst once again.

A very slight anomaly to the engine, but it was outside the rules.

http://www.v8dailydump.com.au/news/15457/Supercars-Stewards-report-into-McLaughlin-s-Bathurst-engine.html