Reynolds tops lively Wanneroo session with late run

David Reynolds took out the long sole Practice session at Wanneroo, with the Perth SuperSprint opener showing a close split down the field with a good mix of teams filling the top spots.

Reynolds topped Hazelwood and Kostecki late, with the long session winding down into an entertaining qualifying sim finish, in a session that saw three red flags.

There appeared to be a consensus in the garages that they were enjoying the longer 90 minute practice run, and being able to alter set-ups within the same conditions, which is not a luxury normally enjoyed with a spread of the usual 30 minutes sessions.

The session got underway with championship leader Brodie Kostecki immediately heading into the sheds with a brake master cylinder issue.

Championship leader Brodie Kostecki overcame some early issues to put in a strong practice session. Image: Mark Horsburgh

Van Gisbergen topped the times early with 55.394, before an unusual red flag was called on 80 minutes as officials needed to reposition the timing beacon on the cars.  

Another red flag was waived shortly after the restart, with the golden Macauley Jones Camaro heading into the Turn 7 beach, and his teammate Andre Heimgartner also going off at Turn 6 prior.

Kostecki came back out in the restart, with plenty of lockup’s early due to the lack of downforce in the new Gen3’s at the hilly Wanneroo track.

There had been plenty of tinkering in the pits toward the 60 minute mark, with team’s warming up for extended race sim as they searched for their readjustments, with SVG still holding P1 over Reynolds, De Pasquale, Courtney, and Brown.

Cam Hill went in very hot at Turn 6 after some smooth running time, with the #35 rookie going deep into the trap when the clock ticked under 50 minutes, with Heimgartner putting down a 55.068 to go top before the red flag dropped a third time. 

Macauley Jones beached the golden Camaro and brought out an early red flag. Image: Mark Horsburgh

With the session becoming time certain, Hill limped back in and the field re-entered at 41 minutes, with Brown pushing into P2 over SVG.

Payne then put in a flyer to be the fastest Mustang, sneaking in over Brown, with fellow Ford driver Percat going into P4.

With teams beginning to get the rear balance and ride heights closer to the mark, the board started to move a bit, with Davison taking P1 with a 54.877, before Kostecki answered immediately with Golding also putting the PremiAir Camaro into P2 with a half hour to run.

Declan Fraser entered the top-ten into P7, with the top six split by a tenth of second, which was boding for a potentially close weekend of racing, as Reynolds, Winterbottom, and Feeney all joined the top-five.

Todd Hazelwood showed strong pace in the BRT Mustang. Image: Mark Horsburgh

There were eight different teams filling a top eight that was split by just 0.17s with the clock going under 20 minutes.

Kostecki and SVG sat in the pits with six minutes to run for Q sim with plenty of rubber being played down for some big final pushes.

De Pasquale shot out of the pits a bit too early to lay down a 54.691 to go P1 with only four cars out before the happy hour rush.

SVG came out in P23 with three minutes left, as did the rest of the field, with Hazelwood taking the first advantage of P1 with a 54.563, with Reynolds going three one hundredths quicker, with 54.28, taking the session.

Hazelwood was consigned to P2, over Kostecki and De Pasquale, Winterbottom and Golding, whilst Heimgartner, Mostert, Payne, and Courtney filled the top-ten.

Perth SuperSprint schedule (AEST)

Friday

1625-1755 – Practice 1

Saturday

1325-1420 – Qualifying 1

1745-1845 – Race 1 (42 Laps)

Sunday

1125-1140 – Qualifying 2

1150-1205 – Qualifying 3

1355-1455 – Race 2 (42 Laps)

1745-1845 – Race 3 (42 laps)

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