Team Vodafone pai🎃ring Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes were left to run an accident on the opening lap of race one in💧 Bahrain that handed the V8 Supercar Championship title advantage to Toll HSV Dealer Team ace Garth Tander.

A tough qualifying session had seen both Falcons qualify outside the top ten and it proved to be the undo♛ing of both drivers as the field streamed out of turn five on the o🌃pening lap.

Lowndes found himself in the middle of a three car sandwich with Paul Morris and Greg Murphy that tipped him into a spin, with the #888 car making heavy contact with the tyre wall on the side of the circuit. With extensive damage to the side of the car, Lowndes was out on th𒁏e spot.

"I just became a p𝔉ing-pong ball in a Morris and Murphy sandwich," said ꦜLowndes. "Unfortunately three into one doesn't go and I came out second best.

"It is extremely disappointing as I got a great start and was looking forward to improving on🗹 my quali𒆙fying position."

The incident would also prove to the end of points leader Whincup, as he was forced to swerve to avoid the spinning cars of Morris and Lownde☂s, Unfortunately, he swiped the tyre wall himself and although he continued, the damage to his car forced him out on lap 13.

As well as starting race two near the back of the field, Whincup has now also lost the poin🥃ts lead with Tander taking an eleven point lead into the second race of the weekend.

"We just missed the boat in qualifying and when you start the race that far back this is what happens," he𒁃 said. "Tomorrow is a new day and with tha⛦t we have another two races to get some points back."