Motorsport: Heat is on Frosty for Ipswich

Mark Winterbottom takes on the tough chicane during the Hamilton 400. Photo / NZPA

BRISBANE - The heat is on the driver they call "Frosty" after V8 Supercars leader Jamie Whincup did not rate Ford rival Mark Winterbottom as a threat at this week's Ipswich round.

But Whincup was quick to add that he expected Winterbottom to be a championship force - once his Ford team finished tinkering with their Falcon.

Whincup is well on the way to three straight championships after winning six of 2010's eight races, topping the standings on 1071 points ahead of Ford duo James Courtney (867) and Winterbottom (810).

But third-placed Winterbottom would be forgiven for arriving at the Ipswich round full of confidence.

He has never qualified outside the top six at Ipswich's Queensland Raceway and has finished in the top 10 in the 11 races he has driven at the circuit for his Ford team.

And Winterbottom's winning ways only appear to be enhanced with sprint tyres making their first appearance of the series at Ipswich.

But when asked who were his greatest threats this week, Whincup did not nominate the 2008 Ipswich round winner.

"I didn't mention Frosty. They dropped off a little bit at New Zealand (last round at Hamilton) so I am predicting that they may take another round finding their feet," Whincup said.

"They seem to be doing a little bit of testing.

"They are a very smart operation. They are trying to take the next step.

"They are looking at the long term. They have decided they don't want to just run second, they want to win.

"So they will take a step backwards to go two steps forward."

Asked how long he thought Winterbottom's team would find their feet, Whincup laughed: "Hopefully as long as possible."

But Whincup is hardly complacent, predicting Courtney, big improver Garth Tander and teammate Craig Lowndes to make inroads on his championship lead at Ipswich.

Whincup is in pole position to become the first V8 Supercar driver to win consecutive championships in two different makes of car.

However, a wary Whincup said on Wednesday: "I have had almost a perfect start to the year and I am less than an event ahead (in points).

"It will come down to the wire like it always does."

To ram home his point, just 165 points separate second-placed Courtney and No.9 Michael Caruso.

And the standings could get even tighter with sprint tyres being used under new rules at Ipswich.

This year the "softs" are being used for the whole round - last year it was a limited option tyre.

Whincup had been a vocal critic of soft tyres in the past but on Wednesday claimed he was "misunderstood".

"I love the soft tyre - I hated the format they used for it last year," he said.

"The team that did the best job on the day didn't always win.

"So I am rapt the V8s Supercars have changed the rules so now every team has an equal opportunity on both days."

Practice starts tomorrow.

- AAP