Supercars winner Scott McLaughlin, in a pensive mood at the Sandown 500. Photo/Photosport
Supercars winner Scott McLaughlin, in a pensive mood at the Sandown 500. Photo/Photosport
Scott McLaughlin has blasted his rivals as "toxic" following a rough month of controversies over his maiden Bathurst 1000 win this year.
The brilliant McLaughlin, who has stormed to successive Supercars titles, had long coveted a Bathurst victory but the aftermath has left a bitter taste in his mouth.
HisDJR Team Penske was heavily penalised at Mt Panorama over safety car tactics.
An engine breach was later discovered, causing McLaughlin to be relegated to the back of the grid in the just-raced Sandown 500 in Melbourne.
His Bathurst pole position was also scrubbed from the books.
Supercars winner Scott McLaughlin, in a pensive mood at the Sandown 500. Photo/Photosport
According to AAP, McLaughlin said the past few weeks as a "tough month" and that he has enjoyed celebrations privately with family and friends.
"I'll just go with my friends away from this toxic paddock," he said.
"I've turned a hobby into a profession and really enjoy it but there's certain individuals that it's pretty obvious that they don't agree with what we do as a team."
Red Bull Holden Racing Team boss Roland Dane was full of praise for McLaughlin's driving which has seen him crush the opposition to win the 2019 Supercars title before the finale in Newcastle. But Dane also slammed Team Penske.
"Unfortunately it is a lightweight penalty. It's no good saying you've taken the pole position away from them when the race has been run," Dane told the Herald Sun.
"To be honest it was soft and those guys keep getting penalties. It's not good for the championship and it's not something that has happened with this regularity before, last year and this year.
"There always seem to be question marks. To be honest, I don't feel comfortable about it.
"I don't want to take anything away from the way that Scotty has driven this year because I think he has done an exemplary job.
"But you can't get away from the fact that Bathurst win is tainted forever and now the pole position has disappeared.
"It's not good and it's not the way the biggest race of the year in Australia should be run." McLaughlin has set a new season record of 18 wins, and said he was the victim of sporting politics.
"I'm proud of what we've done," he said.
"I'm proud of winning Bathurst and I'm proud of winning the championship.
"Off track, it's just been political and, unfortunately for the sport, it's getting like that and it has been like that all year. We're just going to have to push on and fight them off.
"There's always conjecture and, basically, the majority of people are pretty upset about our year and they have been from the start when we started winning."
McLaughlin and Alex Premat finished ninth on Sunday to clinch the title. But the Kiwi was a subdued figure and said he did not want to detract from Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes' victory.
