Motorsport: Protests withdrawn as V8 peace deal struck

Jamie Whincup pushing hard at Sandown. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - Holden teams have withdrawn their complaints against V8 Supercar championship leader Jamie Whincup's contentious front splitter after a peace deal was brokered at Sandown on Sunday.

Whincup's Team Vodafone had been involved in dispute with several Holden teams, who were protesting his Ford had an unfair aerodynamic advantage because of a flexible piece of bodywork at the front of the car.

The issue has twice been before stewards and dismissed, but was bound for another protest hearing until the complaint was withdrawn.

It followed Team Vodafone lodging its own complaint with stewards about the legality of Holden Racing Team driver Will Davison's car following his win at Sandown on Saturday.

That protest has also been withdrawn.

With Team Vodafone's decision last week to defect from Ford to Holden in 2010, it has also headed off a simmering dispute between teams which are soon to be on the same side of the V8 Supercar fence.

Meanwhile, Whincup has refused to blame his team's tumultuous week for a disappointing weekend at Sandown which has seen his championship lead sliced.

Davison's first and second in the two weekend races at the outer Melbourne track allowed him to slide to within 117 points of Whincup.

Whincup finished sixth and third in the two races as Davison and his Holden Racing Team cleaned up.

But Whincup said it was just two off-days rather than fallout from the decision to go from Ford to Holden - a move that has sparked fan anger - that contributed to a lack-lustre weekend.

"This weekend we didn't quite have it right, and it just goes to show if you're just a little bit off the maximum, you're right back in the pack," Whincup said.

"It's been a big week and we'll go away from this weekend and come back strong at our home track Queensland Raceway."

- AAP