Motorsport: Murphy well prepared for Phillip Island

V8 Supercar driver Greg Murphy. Photo / File

With an eye to Bathurst next month, Greg Murphy says his preparation has been spot-on for this weekend's L&H 500 at Phillip Island as the V8 Supercars Championship moves into the endurance phase of the season.

A four-time winner at Mt Panorama, Murphy will be partnered by Danish driver Allan Simonsen at Phillip Island for the 500km race. The pair teamed up to register sixth place at Bathurst last year and Murphy said he was keen to continue the partnership.

"I couldn't be happier. Al and I get on really well, have a great rapport and he is so easygoing. He gets in and just does the job. There is no stress with him.

"We don't have to change seat inserts or belts. I just get out, he gets in and off he goes," Murphy said.

"I've got so much confidence in his ability as an endurance driver because that's all he does. He does massively long races in endurance sportscar racing in Europe and he's got a bloody good reputation for doing that very well. So I'm in a really good space.

"We raced together for the first time at Bathurst last year and as far as working together it was effortless. So this year having both the races together is a massive bonus, being able to get this event done first at a track that Al knows well in Phillip Island is good.

"I don't think we are going to need too much time to get comfortable, but to get ready for the big one in a few weeks it's going to be even easier having this event in the lead-up first."

The L&H 500 has one of the most interesting qualifying formats in world motorsport and ensures great entertainment for day one and puts added pressure on co-drivers. The grid positions for the 500km race will be determined by the accumulated points from two sprint races to be raced tomorrow (Saturday), one for each car's drivers.

Teams must determine which driver will take part in which race, then decide which race they will take a compulsory pit stop. This must be taken after the leader has completed five laps in either race.

If the points are tied, it comes down to which car finished higher in race two, and non-finishers still receive points in each race.

The grid positions for the qualifying races will be determined by two 20-minute qualifying sessions, one for each driver.

Murphy was 13th at Phillip Island last year when he raced with Tim Blanchard but the two-time winner of the Sandown 500, which used to serve as the major lead-up to Bathurst, said the long-haul races suited him.

"I really enjoy the endurance events," he said. "I enjoy the whole driver changing experience and it is very different mentally in a lot of respects.

"The hard part is sitting in the garage watching what's happening on the track with someone else driving your car. That's probably the most interesting part because that can be quite an anxious time."

Eight combinations have survived from last year's race at Phillip Island to have another crack this season, including defending champions Craig Lowndes and Mark Scaife.

Murphy said, despite a barren run at Phillip Island, he was due to perform.

"People talk about my form at Bathurst. I haven't had a great run at Phillip Island for a little while. I've had success at the 500km race at other venues but certainly not at Phillip Island. I like the track but the last few years there have been pretty average.

"I'm looking forward to hopefully having a better run there because I really like racing there and love the circuit.

"At Bathurst I always seem to be there or there-abouts and the last few years there we've had some reasonable results.

In the last few years, I've got a second and a couple of fourths, then sixth last year with Al, but you only ever want to be in one place at Bathurst."