V8 Supercars: McLaughlin gives S60 first points win

Scott McLaughlin gave the new Volvo S60 its first win in a points-scoring V8 Supercars race at Barbagallo.

Although the Garry Rogers Motorsport driver had triumphed in one of the non-points Formula 1 support races at the Australian Grand Prix in March, the victory in race one on Saturday was the S60's first in a championship round.

McLaughlin had taken pole but lost the lead to Craig Lowndes off the line and was also overtaken by flying veteran Russell Ingall starting lap two. But the key to the race would be managing the very high tire wear experienced at the Perth track, and the Volvo was proving kinder to its rubber.

McLaughlin was soon back ahead of Ingall and then took the lead from Lowndes's Triple Eight Holden just before the mid-race pit stops. He then had to fight back past earlier-stoppers Mark Winterbottom and Will Davison, plus Shane van Gisbergen and Jack Perkins, who were trying the nearly impossible task of getting through on one set of tires.

Even after that was accomplished, McLaughlin had to resist pressure from Fabian Coulthard, who had pitted later than most and mounted a charge to finish just 0.7 second behind the Volvo.

Chaz Mostert also benefited from a later pit stop to beat Ford Performance Racing team-mate Winterbottom to third.

Lowndes ended up sixth between the Erebus Mercedes of Lee Holdsworth and Davison after losing ground in the pit sequence. Ingall's pace faded as the race went on and he finished 12th.

Reigning champion Jamie Whincup's struggles continued. He qualified only 11th and fared worse still in the race, sliding back to 17th.