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MELBOURNE GRAND PRIX SUPPORT WRAP – THURSDAY

Dale Wood took out the opening Carrera Cup race - Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

By Bruce Williams

Dale Wood took out the opening Carrera Cup race - Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

Dale Wood took out the opening Carrera Cup race – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

DAY ONE at the Melbourne Grand Prix featured qualifying and races for Porsches and the GT Championship while the one-make Asian Ferrari Challenge had three practice session in preparation for further activity today.

Wilson Security Porsche Carrera Cup

DALE WOOD and Roger Lago were the race one victors in an eventful start to the second round.

Polesitter Nick McBride led from the start, but back on the grid Cameron Hill didn’t move and Anthony Gilbertson rear-ended the stranded car.

Both were out, as too Stephen Grove with right front suspension damage, and after several safety car laps, race leader McBride ran off the circuit at turn one, allowing Wood to inherit the lead from Jordan Love and Jaxon Evans.

Evans passed Love and pressure Wood towards the end, finishing just 0.27 seconds behind. Love was third ahead of reigning champion David Wall and his teammate James Moffat. Next was Alex Davison from Dylan O’Keeffe, Michael Almond, Peter Major and Josh Hunt.

Meanwhile, the TAG Heuer Pro-Am victory (and 11th outright) went to round one winner Roger Lago. Max Twigg placed second in class from Sam Shahin, Tim Miles, Dean Cook, Greg Taylor, Indiran Padayachee and John Steffensen.

Hill’s car is out for the weekend while Gilbertson should be ready for race two. Meanwhile, Marc Cini, who was absent from race one, will return for race two after damaging his Porsche earlier.

Shannons Insurance Australian GT Championship

Craig Baird leading the way in the Australian GT race - Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

Craig Baird leading the way in the Australian GT race – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

IN THE opening race of round one, Craig Baird won at Albert Park yesterday. Driving the Scott Taylor Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3, Baird led from the start, before the race finished under safety car conditions.

Second went to ex-Formula 1 racer Giancarlo Fisichella in the Maranello Motorsport Ferrari 488 with Marcel Fassler, a three-time Le Mans winner, was third in the Jamec Pem Audi R8 LMS. The premature finish was brought about by Wayne Mack who spun his Trophy Class Ferrari 458 out of the final corner on lap five.

Fassler was hounded throughout by Tony D’Alberto (Mercedes). Throughout the early laps, with Dan Gaunt (Audi) forced to pit early due to a cut tyre, the top four had a gapped John Martin (Porsche 911 GT3-R), Dean Canto (Lamborghini Huracan) and Steven Richards (BMW M6) where the order remained the same to the flag.

In eighth was the Dom Storey (Mercedes) ahead of debutant Jaie Robson (Mercedes) and Fraser Ross (McLaren 650S). Eleventh and first in Trophy was Nick Kelly, clear of class rivals John Morriss (Porsche GT3-R), Matt Stoupas and Rio Nugara in their Audis.

Jeremy Grey (Aston Martin) dominated GT4, finishing 23rd outright and several places ahead of Xavier West (BMW M4), Mark Griffith (Ginetta) and Justin McMillian (KTM X-Bow).

Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Asia Pacific Series

Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Asia Pacific Series made their Melbourne Grand Prix debut - Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Asia Pacific Series made their Melbourne Grand Prix debut – Photo: Rhys Vandersyde

The Italian one-make series kicked off its eighth season in Australia at Albert Park yesterday. It is the first time with the series-opening track proceedings in support of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.

Over the three practice sessions held for the one-make Ferrari 488s, Irishman Hector Lester’s first session time of 1 minute 59.0600 was good enough to be the best of the day.

Indians Renaldi Hutasoit (fastest in both the following sessions) and Rama Danindro were second and third overall, ahead of Alex Au from Hong Kong while James Weiland (USA) was fifth fastest. Italian Philippe Prette was sixth ahead of the lone Australian Martin Berry.

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