Payne aiming for glory after maiden pole

Kiwi young gun Matt Payne is eyeing victory after flying to a maiden Supercars pole position at Albert Park.

Cool and fast track conditions created thrilling back to back qualifying sessions and despite the best efforts of all the stars, it was Payne, who emerged on top in the fight for Race 5 pole with a second set of fresh tyres.

The Penrite Racing 21-year-old’s 1:46.6541 was enough to edge out Cam Waters by a narrow 0.0073s.

As a result Payne is the 72nd in Supercars/ATCC history to take pole and will start today’s 14-lap Race 5 from the front of the grid.

The Kiwi said it was a “huge moment” in his growing career and is eying a second Supercars victory following his triumph in last year’s Adelaide finale.

“It is huge for me being my first pole and it is also a great result for the team,” Payne said.

“I just think of it as giving myself the best opportunity of getting a good result and trying to go for the win.

“We have good pace. The Triple Eight cars are fast but they didn’t quite get it right in qualifying so we have a good opportunity and need to try and maximise it.”

In addition to taking Race 5 pole, Payne will also start Sunday’s Race 6 from the front row having only just been beaten by Chaz Mostert.

He credited his team’s strategy of resisting the temptation of bolting on two fresh sets in Thursday’s back to back qualifying sessions and saving them for Saturday when track conditions were at their best.

Matt Payne flying through turn 2. Photo by LAT Images

“I kind of got lucky because I was able to use two sets in the first session to give me a bit of a jump in that second lap,” Payne reflected.

“Then Chaz did it in the next one and also got pole because we both didn’t run a second set of tyres on Thursday.

“Big ups to the team because we have been pushing really hard and this gives us our best opportunity to get a good race result.”

With heavy cloud covering the Albert Park precinct for the first time this weekend, track conditions were notably faster with pole being the best park of a second faster then Thursday.

Payne said even he was surprised by the significant jump.

“The track was definitely a little bit faster than what I thought,” he said.

“Working the tyre a little bit harder on the warmup lap was definitely required. I think I probably tried to do it a little bit more just to make sure it was in for the lap.

“The times were faster then what I thought but I could tell it would be a little bit quicker at the points I was getting gears and things like that.”

Payne has been one of the most impressive performers across the Melbourne SuperSprint, having recorded a pair of thirds in the first two races.

Whilst both have arrived in dramatic circumstances and impressive drivers, Friday’s podium was possible thanks to a “miracle”

On the opening lap of the second sprint, Payne and Anton De Pasquale clashed making wheel to wheel contact at turn 5.

Whilst De Pasquale’s race was over due to steering damage, Payne did not emerge unscathed either with a spoke on his right front wheel destroyed.

However, it did not stop the Kiwi from charging to another hard-earned podium, but he admitted the #19 was “lucky” to get home.

“I had two spokes missing out of my right front wheel so I don’t even know how it held together,” Payne said.

“I can’t even really remember what happened but I think I was on the outside of turn 3 and wasn’t really willing to give up my spot.

“He (Anton) was sort of crowding me out so I sort of said ‘nah I am going to pitch it in here’.

“It is kind of weird because we locked wheels and the steering just completely came out of my hands.

“It was a bit of a hard hit and I was really lucky to make it home.”

Images: Motorsport Images

Supercars Australian Grand Prix schedule

Thursday, March 21

Practice 1: 1: M. Jones 2: M. Payne 3: C. Waters

Practice 2: 1 B. Feeney 2: C. Waters 3: A. De Pasquale

Qualifying R3 Qualifying R4 Poles B. Feeney, C. Waters

Race 3: 1: B. Feeney 2: W. Brown 3: M. Payne

Friday, March 22

Race 4 (20 laps): 1: W. Brown 2: M. Winterbottom 3: M. Payne

Saturday, March 23

Qualifying R5: 1: M. Payne 2: C. Waters 3: C. Mostert

Qualifying R6: 1: C. Mostert 2: M. Payne 3: C. Waters

Race 5 (14 laps): 17.35-18.10

Sunday, March 24

Race 6 (14 laps): 10.20-10.55

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