Motor: Whincup holds off Frosty for fourth win

SAKHIR, Bahrain - Jamie Whincup's desert domination has continued with another race win in the V8 Supercars event in Bahrain, but this was far from easy.

The TeamVodafone pilot faced a much more difficult proposition to make it four wins from as many starts in the Middle East from Friday's start to finish procession.

An extremely slow start to Saturday's 200km race at the Bahrain International Circuit allowed Ford's Mark Winterbottom to lead the pack into turn one, while Whincup went from pole position to fifth.

But the 27-year-old showed why he is a two-time driver's champion as he climbed through the field, easing past his opponents to be back in front by lap eight of the 37-lap race.

On form, Whincup seemed set to race away but Ford Performance Racing driver Winterbottom refused to lie down.

He stayed on Whincup's tail in an engrossing battle, nearly getting back in front when the TeamVodafone man stalled coming out of the pits in lap 28.

Winterbottom couldn't just get by and Whincup was able to hold on to complete his perfect start to the year, but the signs are finally there someone is willing to stand up and challenge him.

New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen, the youngest driver in the field, completed his own desert dream by racing from 14th to his second podium in as many weeks with a third place finish in his Stone Brothers Falcon.

One driver who'll be glad to head back to Australia as soon as he can is Jack Daniel's Racing's Todd Kelly, who got caught up in drama and had to retire with a broken wheel in the opening lap.

Kelly's season is in early trouble with his best finish in any of the races at Abu Dhabi or Bahrain being a 20th in Friday's race in Sakhir.

However, his brother Rick at least had something to smile about with a fourth-placed finish.

Holden Racing Team's Garth Tander will also be looking forward to the comforts of home after he was turned on the first lap and made contact with Steven Richards in the closing stages to eventually finish one lap down.

Tander's teammate Will Davison finished sixth.

The championship's next event is the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide from March 14.

- AAP