“Whenever you attempt to examine Jamie with somebody like Jim Richards or a Peter Brock it’s important to put him up there, and put him up there proper on the pinnacle and positively within the fashionable period being absolutely the benchmark.”
So each are united in settlement that Whincup is a legend of the game.
However what’s it that makes him so good?
“It’s the extent of professionalism and meticulous preparation, which has seen him regularly enhance throughout his profession,” Skaife stated.
“His degree of dedication is unquestioned and that has, all through his profession, allowed him to qualify nicely. So simple as it’s, you simply need to have uncooked velocity.
“He has been the benchmark in qualifying throughout his profession and if you happen to begin on the pointy finish of the grid you keep out of bother most instances since you don’t get caught up within the subject.
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“He has actually made a profession assertion primarily based on uncooked tempo, preparation and real dedication. His degree of professionalism is extraordinary.”
Dane, who signed him for Triple Eight for the 2006 season and gave him his first race win within the Adelaide 500 at his first begin for the workforce, concurs.
“He simply wished to drive certainly one of our vehicles greater than anything. What’s carried by way of to make him so profitable for thus lengthy is his dedication to the duty at hand and the way in which he has reinvented himself each few years to fend off the opposition the place he has wanted to,” he stated.
“There have been a number of different drivers within the image at the moment [for the seat at Triple Eight alongside Craig Lowndes] however Jamie wasn’t thinking about cash at that stage.
“He simply wished a possibility to show himself in a very good automobile. We definitely weren’t anticipating him to win first trip, however we’re very completely satisfied that he did and he has continued to go on from there. He’s the most effective there was in nationwide touring vehicles in Australia.”
Skaife echoes Dane’s view that Whincup’s laser-like focus over practically 20 years has been one other main issue within the driver’s domination. Fairly merely, he hardly ever makes errors.
“It’s the way in which he goes about his racing, which is basically about being actually diligent and utilized to the duty,” Skaife stated.
“At no level do you see Jamie rattled or upset by regardless of the circumstances are. He offers with issues by having a number of time on his palms. He doesn’t get upset or emotional about the way in which he goes about his racing, he’s very matter of reality, fairly unflappable.
“That has served him nicely, you don’t see him make many errors.
“He made a little bit mistake final yr at Bathurst the place he received caught up passing a automobile, and he didn’t make a really good job of it. He ended up going into the fence on the subsequent nook.
“That was uncharacteristic for Jamie. There are only a few of these circumstances all through his profession although due to his unflappability.”
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