Drivers ready for unpredictable Great Race
Bathurst Day is here, and drivers are expecting the unexpected with afternoon rain expected to spice up the 2025 Great Race.
Although blue skies currently overlook Mount Parorama, rain is forecast to make an impact as the afternoon transpires.
From 13.00 the chance rises from 29 to 50 per cent before a high of 82 per cent at 15.00.
This could cause similar scenes to 2001 when a dry start was turned on its head around the Lap 90 mark.
The Ford hopefuls, it could shift attention away from the parity rumours that have swirled around the paddock all weekend.
It will also shake up the Great Race signficantly and disrupt the delicate strategy options after last year’s race ran Safety Car free until the 130th lap.
Cam Waters will start from the front row and hopes the Mustang can hold up against the Camaro across a race distance.
The Tickford star is sick of answering questions about chasing the elusive win.
“Yes. I will try again tomorrow,” Waters said.
“We have prepared really well, have a fast car and Frosty is doing really well so we will see what the day brings.
“The last two years it has not been in qualifying trim, it is more in racing where the problem lies. “Hopefully we get into the race and it not as big of a promblem as we think it is.
“There is proof there is an issue there but nothing more I can do aside from tighten my belts and find some more speed across the top.”
“We will see what happens,” co-driver Mark Winterbottom said.
“If it rains you put on the wets, wipers and have have a crack.
“We have driven the cars enough in the wet. We did Thursday, but its tomorrow that counts.”
Despite being on pole, Todd Hazelwood welcomed the prospect of rain, while WAU’s Fabian Coulthard believed Thursday’s practice in the rain was very beneficial.
“I think for Todd and I – I don’t think I’m talking out of school – but we haven’t driven on the wet before, the new wet especially,” Coulthard said.
“So I think it was a good opportunity on Thursday to get out there and have a feel and see what it’s going to be like in the rain.”
With both dry and wet conditions expected to play major parts throughout the race, working out the set-up will be a tough balancing act for the teams.
Triple Eight’s Jamie Whincup said it will be a last minute call.
“The thing is though, we all have in the back of our mind that any set up done now might be all somewhat irrelevant because I’m pretty sure that the end of the race is going to be wet,” he said.
“So it’s tricky, too tricky to decide what to do.
“We’ll use the time we’ve got available on Sunday morning to do what we can.
“We’ll make the call at the last minute when we get the best idea of the weather, because it was not that bad at the start of the week… but it was real bad yesterday and now it’s starting to slightly get better.
“So we might wake up in the morning and change again till we’ll see.”
“There’s about a 90% chance of rain,” said Ludo Lacroix – Competition Director, PremiAir Racing.
“Every forecast I’ve checked three or four different ones is calling for 5 to 15mm of rain, low temps, and no sun.
“So we have to take that into account. If we’re racing for six and a half hours in the wet, there’s no point setting up for a completely dry race. “The main task now is deciding how far we lean into a wet setup. It looks like it’ll get wetter toward the end rather than at the start, so we need a car that’s strong in both conditions good in the rain but also capable on a drying track. That’s the focus for tonight: adapt and prepare.”
His leading charger James Golding, starting 13th alongside David Russell said they will have to be ready for anything.
“:There’s some wet weather on the radar, which will definitely make things interesting and could shake things up a bit,” Golding said.
“But that’s Bathurst you’ve got to be ready for anything. If we keep our noses clean, make smart decisions, and execute our race plan properly, I think the result will take care of itself.
“Hopefully, we can be right there at the end, fighting for a strong finish.”
Image: Peter Norton
2025 Bathurst 1000 schedule
Thursday, October 9
PRACTICE 1 1: R. Wood/J. Ojeda 2:05.1029 2: A. De Pasquale/H. Jones +0.4236 3: K. Allen/D. Wood +0.8132
PRACTICE 2 1: Scott Pye/W. Brown 2:06.8395 2: David Russell/J. Golding +0.1461 3: Tony D’Alberto/W. Davison +0.6345
Friday, October 10
PRACTICE 3 1: B.Feeney/J.Whincup 2:04.9763 2: R.Wood/J.Ojeda +0.0341 3: W.Brown/S.Pye +0.0784
QUALIFYING 1 Brodie Kostecki 2:04.0307 2 Broc Feeney +0.0064 3 Ryan Wood +0.0560
Saturday, October 11
PRACTICE 5 1: Scott Pye 2:05.6647 2: Jamie Whincup +0.0442 3: Mark Winterbottom +0.3516
TOP TEN SHOOTOUT 1 Brodie Kostecki 2:04.0413 2 Cameron Waters +0.1760 3 Chaz Mostert +0.3169
Bathurst Day, October 12
WARM UP 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM
THE GREAT RACE 11:45 AM (161 laps)
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