Rivals narrowly avoid disaster in Supercars clash

The bitter rivalry betwixt Red Bull and Shell astir resulted successful a catastrophic clang astatine the commencement of Race 26 of the Supercars season aft a drastic determination from Jamie Whincup.

After Shell's Anton de Pasquale got disconnected to a flying start, 1 that would yet pb to him winning the race, Whincup made a beeline towards de Pasquale's Shell teammate Will Davison, driving him towards the fence.

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Whincup's determination allowed some helium and Red Bull teammate Shane van Gisbergen to zoom up of Davison, with the brace finishing the contention 4th and second, respectively.

Following the race, Davison said helium was amazed by Whincup's determination and explained wherefore helium 'lifted' and allowed the Red Bull duo to spell ahead.

As the contention began, Whincup made a beeline towards Davison, pushing up adjacent to the obstruction (Supercars)

"Jamie came crossed beauteous aggressively. I didn't deliberation he'd support driving astatine maine and fortunate I lifted different it would've been a beauteous large accident," helium said.

"That's the mode it goes. I thought I was going to get through, it was astir a [crash] but I avoided it luckily.

"I kept it arsenic level arsenic agelong arsenic I could, I thought helium mightiness yet concede, but helium wasn't letting spell of that spot, truthful I thought I'd lift. It's 1 of those things, it happens. I'm gladsome I lifted due to the fact that it would've been beauteous disfigured if I didn't."

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Five-time Supercars champion Mark Skaife praised Davison for taking the harmless route, saying a antithetic attack could've led to a 12-car pile-up.

De Pasquale won his 4th contention successful 7 starts successful Sydney during this play (Getty)

"Lucky [Davison] was bully to [Whincup], due to the fact that [Davison] should've fed him into the fence," helium said.

"It would've been a large accident, there's nary doubt, truthful what Will did was the safest option.

"[Whincup] gets a truly atrocious commencement and helium moves it implicit and he's close implicit to the obstruction connected the inside.

"If those cars bash marque interaction astatine that stage, you occurrence the Red Bull car into the obstruction connected the wrong and astir apt past the chaos unfolds with each the cars behind. So you mightiness person 10 oregon 12 cars progressive successful that accident."

Whincup was near fuming astatine his start, and explained the thought process down his move.

Whincup was not blessed with his show successful Race 26, but inactive remains successful 2nd spot successful the title (Getty)

"It's ever connected astatine crook one. I didn't get the champion commencement but I held disconnected the guys from down to support successful second," helium said.

"I perfectly hated [the race]. It was painful. Anton conscionable disappeared up the road, my teammate made maine look silly similar 5 oregon six laps in, truthful painfully conscionable got the happening astir to effort and get immoderate points. We conscionable weren't speedy capable and we didn't merit the podium."

Despite finishing second, van Gisbergen inactive leads the championship, 349 points up of Whincup, portion Davison is successful third.

There was nary question successful the apical nine, with de Pasquale inactive 712 points down van Gisbergen successful sixth spot.

De Pasquale's triumph was his 4th successful 7 races astatine the Sydney Motorsport Park this season, having besides taken retired races 20, 22 and 24.

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