McLaughlin, Whincup top Supercars at GP

Supercars rivals Scott McLaughlin and Jamie Whincup have split the opening pole positions at the Melbourne 400 at Albert Park.

The sport's best qualifiers earned their first poles of the season on Thursday at the Australian Grand Prix, where competitors will race for points for the first time in the 22-year history of the meet.

The pair were separated last year by just a handful of points, with veteran Whincup denying the young Kiwi a first title in the final moments of the season-ending race.

They were both upstaged by 2016 winner Shane Van Gisbergen in Adelaide, who won both poles and races.

In Melbourne, McLaughlin and Whincup have given themselves the best opportunity to claim race wins…