Will Davison set the pace in the wet at Mt Panorama – Photo: InSyde Media
Richie Stanaway was the fastest driver in the final Thursday practice session at Mount Panorama, completing a Ford whitewash for the day in treacherous conditions.
By JORDAN MULACH
The Tickford Racing driver went quickest in the last 60 minute session of the day, capitalising on his previous wet weather experience to put the #56 Falcon at the top of the timesheets at the end of the day.
In typical fashion, a season-long drought was ended when the Supercars rocked up to Bathurst with rain hitting before the action started in the morning.
23Red Racing’s Will Davison was the fastest of the day overall, putting in his quickest lap at the end of the drying practice one session, starting a clean sweep of the day for Ford.
Davison’s 2:25.02 lap was 0.5 seconds quicker than Tickford’s Chaz Mostert who had led for a majority of the session before being beaten towards the end as the track dried out.
Practice two and three were both taken out by the Blue Oval in the last stand at Bathurst for the Falcon with Alex Premat leading the co-driver only session while Richie Stanaway headed a top four run for Ford in the day’s final practice session.
Alex Premat jumped up the order in the #17 Falcon late in the session second session, going 0.64 seconds quicker than the Nissan with a time of 2:35.182, ending the hour-long practice on top.
Richie Stanaway topped the final session of the day – Photo: InSyde Media
While his Ford driving counterparts worked their way to the top of the order late in their sessions, Stanaway spent a good portion of the final practice run in first place.
The young Kiwi went 0.87 seconds quicker around the Mountain than championship leader Shane van Gisbergen before the Ford brigade joined him at the top of the order near the end.
Despite his pace in the final session, Stanaway’s 2:29.0174 lap was a good four seconds off the pace from Davison’s earlier lap in practice one due to the changeable track conditions.
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