Supercars field plots Red Bull takedown

The 2016 battle was lost in spectacular fashion but Supercars drivers Mark Winterbottom and Scott McLaughlin are hoping to take Red Bull down a peg in 2017.

There's never been a gulf like it in Supercars history.

For the first time, Red Bull Racing's lead in the teams championship stands at over 2000 points.

Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen's relentless pursuit of the drivers crown has powered the already-dominant team to new heights in 2016.

The duo chalked up three one-two results in last weekend's meet at Pukekohe Park near Auckland, pushing the gap to the second-placed Holden Racing Team (HRT) to 2052 points.

Mark Winterbottom jokingly called the Red Bull pair "Nico and Lewis", comparing them to Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton at all-conquering Formula One team Mercedes.

Another joke along pit lane is that Supercars organisers might offer to give the second-best team garage to "daylight" next year.

But rival drivers aren't laughing at their dominance, and especially not the only man to beat Red Bull to a drivers title since 2010 - Mark Winterbottom.

Winterbottom will give up car No.1 next year but claimed his first win in 16 races at Pukekohe on Sunday.

He said everyone - including him - outside Red Bull had fallen short in 2016.

"Everyone's got their story. We've all had issues. You can't 'what if' or whatever. We haven't been quick enough.," he said.

"It's been a good thing having one on the door but it just makes you hungry to work hard and try and get it back."

Scott McLaughlin's Garry Rogers Motorsport team is one good meet at Homebush away from grabbing second place from HRT.

The 23-year-old said it was "debatable" whether Red Bull's strength was good for the sport, but added it made winning races all the sweeter.

"When you come up on top of them it's a good day and you know you've done a good job," he said.

"Its a carrot. We're chasing it. They've been on top for a long time.

"They've got the personnel and all that sort of stuff to keep it going. They're going to be hard to stop."

After a "tough year", the sixth-placed Winterbottom said upcoming changes to format to tyre construction would also be a joker in the pack.

"We've got areas that we need to address. I won't sit here and target areas in the workshop because we all work extremely hard and it upsets people if you say it's this or that."

"We know where we're weak. We know where they are but it costs money and takes time.

"There's a lot going on. Next year starts fresh."


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Source: AAP



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