30/03/2010
NEWS STORY
Mat Coch writes:
Australian touring car driver Jamie Whincup has denied rumours linking him to a testing role with McLaren. The V8 Supercar driver drove a two year old McLaren in the build up to the Australian Grand Prix, reportedly impressing the McLaren management.
"Formula One car is the ultimate racing machine. Those laps I did on Tuesday I'm very grateful of," he said of his time in the MP4/23 last Tuesday. The reigning Australian V8 Supercar champion swapping machines with F1 champion Jenson Button, in a promotional event.
Having won the Australian V8 Supercar championship for the past two years, Whincup is one of the most successful drivers in Australia. However despite the positive vibes from Woking, Whincup isn't phased by what the future holds. "I'm committed here with V8's," he told Pitpass. "There's no point trying to predict the future. I love what I do here in Australia, I love Australia, I love the V8 category and I love the people I'm working with at Team Vodafone."
He didn't rule a future move entirely though, stating that "if I was given the opportunity for a few more laps, even it was to fly across the other side of the world to do one lap I certainly would. It was the best experience of my life, one I'd love to do again."
He went on to claim that Button, who'd driven Whincup's Holden Commodore touring car in the event, has expressed interest in racing at Bathurst once his career in Formula One is over. "After Formula One, he'd love to come out and do Bathurst," he revealed.