Volvo Polestar Racing aims high at Clipsal 500 in Adelaide

The 2015 V8 Supercars season starts this weekend with the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, and Volvo Polestar Racing driver Scott McLaughlin, the over-achiever of 2014, is aiming high.

“I am going for the win, the Volvo is really good around a street circuit like Adelaide,” said McLaughlin.

The 21-year-old Barry Sheene Medal Winner made his debut for Volvo Polestar Racing at the Clipsal 500 last year and thrilled the crowds to qualify second and then beat multiple champion Jamie Whincup in an epic last lap fight.

“We had an awesome race last year at Clipsal. Obviously the car has been developed a lot further since then so I am looking forward to using that knowledge this year,” said McLaughlin.

Newly-signed driver David Wall is going to make his debut for Volvo Polestar Racing in Adelaide, and the 32-year-old is aiming to build momentum as the season progresses.

“I am really excited to get to the Clipsal 500 and get the season underway,” he said.

“I was pretty happy with the feeling in the car during the test days. The environment with the team is great and everything is working well so far. I just want to build momentum as the year goes on and really get stuck into it.”

McLaughlin and Wall face a 23-car field in the 2015 V8 Supercars Championship, with 14 rival teams representing Holden, Ford, Nissan and Mercedes. The season features 15 race weekends, with the season finale being held in Sydney on the first weekend of December.

“For us it is very important we hit the ground running and get a good bag of points this weekend. This is the start of our second year and I’m looking forward to it,” said McLaughlin.

Clipsal 500
Circuit: Adelaide Parklands Street Circuit
Length: 3.219km
Lap record (V8SC): 1:20.3776, Shane van Gisbergen (2014)

Friday 27 February
09:05 Practice 1 (30min)
10:50 Practice 2 (30min)
12:55 Practice 3 (30min)
15:35 Qualifying Race 1 (10min)
16:00 Qualifying Race 2 (10min)

Saturday 28 February
10:10 Practice 4 (20min)
13:45 Race 1 (39 laps)
16:25 Race 2 (39 laps)

Sunday 1 March
10:55 Qualifying Race 3 (20min)
12:10 Top Ten Shootout (25min)
15:25 Race 3 (78 laps)

2015 V8 Supercars Championship calendar
(Date / Event / Location / Race / Format)
Feb 26-Mar 1 / Clipsal 500 Adelaide / Adelaide Street Circuit / Super Street
Mar 12-15 / Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix* / Albert Park / International
Mar 27-29 / Tyrepower Tasmania Super Sprint / Symmons Plains / Raceway Super Sprint
May 1-3 / Perth Super Sprint / Barbagallo Raceway / Super Sprint
May 15-17 / Winton Super Sprint / Winton Motor Raceway / Super Sprint
June 19-21 / Skycity Triple Crown Darwin / Hidden Valley Raceway / Super Sprint
July 10-12 / Castrol Townsville 400 / Reid Park / Super Street
July 31-Aug 2 / Coates Hire Ipswich / Queensland Raceway / Super Sprint
Aug 21-23 / Sydney Motorsport Park / Sydney Motorsport Park / Super Sprint
Sept 11-13 / Wilson Security Sandown 500 / Sandown Raceway Pirtek / Enduro Cup
Oct 8-11 / Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 / Mount Panorama / Pirtek Enduro Cup
Oct 23-25 / Castrol Edge Gold Coast 600 / Surfers Paradise / Pirtek Enduro Cup
Nov 6-8 / ITM 500 Auckland / Pukekohe Park Raceway / Super Sprint
Nov 20-22 / Phillip Island Super Sprint / Phillip Island Circuit / Super Sprint
Dec 4-6 / Sydney 500 / Sydney Olympic Park / Super Street
* = Non-championship round