Skaife: No difference in approach for Bathurst.

The Holden Racing Team combination of Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly are the current favourite to win the Bathurst 1000. The combination of two top drivers, a car that's always quick at the mountain and one of the best pit stop teams in pit lane should see team red near the podium on Sunday afternoon. Crash.net spoke to HRT driver and team owner, Mark Skaife.

Q:
Unlike many other teams who are choosing to split their main drivers, you're driving with Todd at Bathurst this year. Was this always then plan?

Mark Skaife:
Yeah, it certainly was. We always had that plan, we said that from the start of the year and there's no reason to go away from that. We have got good drivers in our second car and they'll surprise a few people with their performance.

Q:
In your second car, James Courtney made his series debut at Sandown. Were you pleased with his performance?

MS:
He's been very good. He's a great young talent. The cars are new to him in terms of the style of car that we have in Australia in that getting the best from the car is quite difficult; he's been thrown in the deep end, having never driven at that circuit or driven a V8 Supercar, or even a race car with an H-Pattern gearbox, there were a lot of things that were new and difficult for him to come to grips with. He's been very impressive so far and he'll surprise a few people. He and Richo are a great combination of youth and experience and the competition between them will be very interesting.

Q:
You've been quoted as considering James Courtney as a part of the Holden Racing Team's future, is that something you're making plans for now?

MS:
I've been in discussion with James and his management about what he's doing with his future, he's got a great championship going at the moment, he's leading the series up there, (the all Japan GT series) he has driven all around the world and he's certainly very experienced in lots of other areas in Motorsport, so, based on what he wants to do with his future, we've discussed options, but that's as far as it's gone.

Q:
There have been rumours around the paddock that HRT are looking to field a third car in the series. As one of the top drivers in the series, do you feel that a third car could compromise your chances of winning the championship again?

MS:
We won't do anything in terms of running a third car if it was ever going to impact our two car performance. We've got a long-term contract with Holden, we are the factory team and we need to get back to the pointy end of the field consistently. Our speed is very good at the moment; we know that we've been unlucky and that we should have been stronger in a couple of places. Our future is framed around the two cars; we won't be impacting on them. If we ran another car, that would be for a different reason and we'd have to resource up to be able to do that. Not that that's an immediate plan, but, going forward, anything could happen.

Q:
You've certainly had the car speed this year and some excellent qualifying performances, but perhaps the luck wasn't there. Are you making any technical changes for Bathurst?

MS:
We haven't really. We were tough here last year because our engine performance was pretty ordinary and our engines have certainly improved and our car has improved with the two cars that we built at the end of last year. We rolled out at the Melbourne Grand Prix, and if that had been a normal round we would have won it, so performance from the start of the year has been very encouraging in terms of car speed.

We've always gone well at Bathurst and I see no difference this year in terms of how we're going to approach it. I'd be disappointed if we weren't in contention in terms of raw speed, and then all the things at Bathurst will determine how we go, there are lots of variables and lots of strategy and things that are encompassed in our bid. We'll have our best preparation and organisation in place, so we'll see what happens.

Q:
Recently, having taken ownership of the team, and the Holden Special Vehicles arm as well, there's been a lot of talk about Mark Skaife as the businessman. As a driver, are you still enjoying the sport?

MS:
I certainly am. I go to the race weekends no different to how I've always gone there. I go there as the driver, not the owner and I certainly don't get involved in how the weekend is organised. Nothing is more fun for me than jumping in the car and having a drive, that's the most relaxing thing that happens in my life, probably.

Q:
Finally, as a driver, do you prepare differently to Bathurst compared to other races?

MS:
No, I don't. I play down all the pre-Bathurst hype. I try to go up there and think about the race as I've always thought about it. We've had a great record up there, since the late 80s we've been there every year and in contention to win, so it's certainly one of the best race meetings of the year, one that I enjoy the most in terms of the racetrack itself. I just go there and take it how it is, it's not a preparation change in comparison to any other normal round.

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