Watch Your Mirrors Marcos: Skaife
11/6/2004 11:08 (Press Release) -
Holden hero Mark Skaife has warned Ford's Marcos Ambrose to look over his shoulder from now on. The blunt warning followed a clash in Darwin last month.
Ambrose was cleared by stewards in what was deemed a racing incident, but Skaife reminded the Ford driver that "every dog has its day" and said Ambrose should be looking over his shoulder in the fifth round of the V8 Supercar series, at Barbagallo Raceway at the weekend.
Skaife was leading in Darwin when, on the last corner, Ambrose went for an inside passing move and the cars hit.
Skaife speared off the track but was able to limp home in 16th place. Ambrose dropped to third when teammate Russell Ingall and Skaife's teammate, Todd Kelly, both got past in the run to the finish.
"If I was Marcos I'd be having a bit of a look in the mirror," Skaife said. "In my championship position, I can afford to take more risks.
"So, if those sorts of manoeuvres are on and that's how we're going to play, stand back, because we're in for some fun."
Skaife, who was eliminated from the last race of last season in the infamous "race rage" incident with Ingall, still cannot believe Ambrose attempted the pass where and when he did.
"I didn't think he was going to have a go because it was a crazy manoeuvre," Skaife said. "You know that when you start a manoeuvre like that you're going to make contact. I didn't think being in the championship position Marcos was in that it was a move he was going to make."
Skaife, who took over ownership of the Holden Racing Team just 12 months ago, has endured a difficult year and having a much needed win ripped from his grasp must have been hard to take.
To lose at the hands of a Stone Brothers Racing Falcon would have made it all the more galling.
Skaife said the ownership drama which dragged on for weeks after previous owner Tom Walkinshaw Racing, of Britain, went bankrupt, had been destabilising.
"A lot of the guys didn't know whether they were going to have jobs," he said.
"We haven't gone as well as we should have gone and there is a personal component in that. I've been as fast in terms of driving and qualifying but I've made too many mistakes.
"We have been on the front row of the grid in four of the five races this year but I haven't had a win."
Skaife concedes that the pressure to perform must be part of it.
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