Photo: DJR Team Penske

Scott McLaughlin disagrees with title-deciding penalty

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Scott McLaughlin received a penalty on the last lap of the last Supercars championship race of 2017, dropping him from eleventh to finish 18th and handing the title to main rival Jamie Whincup.

“I felt I raced fair, for it to be taken away like that, I don’t agree with it,” said McLaughlin to supercars.com.

The DJR Team Penske driver made contact with Craig Lowndes on the last lap, resulting in a spectacular crash and retirement for the Holden driver.

“I felt like I did everything in my power with what I had around me with no left-hand mirror,” McLaughlin said.

“I felt like I left significant… it was tight, but I left a car width just in case he was there. To get the thud, it made it look even worse than it did. No driver in that position’s going to agree with that penalty.”

The penalty for the incident was given to McLaughlin before the end of the race, meaning that the team could not protest it.

“It would’ve been nice if we could do a post-race investigation and look at points and stuff,” said McLaughlin.

McLaughlin finished second overall, 21 points behind Whincup.