Race report
Supercars
Another solid run for Percat at Albert Park
Coates Hire Racing's Nick Percat finished the Australian Grand Prix V8 Supercar races 12th overall for the weekend.
Edited: Jun 1, 2018, 3:17 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The non-championship event included a unique format with dual-file rolling starts for each race, finishing points setting the grid for the following race and double points on offer for the final encounter.
After two practices and a single 30-minute qualifying session, it was Michael Caruso who scored his maiden pole position from Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin. Percat qualified 16th in the 25 car field.
Nick Percat, Holden Racing Team
Photo by: John Maricic
In the opening 10 lap race Percat crossed the line 17th behind Holden stablemates James Courtney and Tim Slade. Shane van Gisbergen in the Team Tekno Commodore convincingly won, from Jamie Whincup and Scott McLaughlin, with pole man Caruso fourth.
In the second 12 lap race, Percat finished 16th behind Courtney and in front of Slade, the Holden trio running line astern once again. Shane van Gisbergen again tasted victory, this time over Craig Lowndes and Fabian Coulthard.
The winning ways continued for van Gisbergen in the safety car interrupted third race, holding off Fabian Coulthard and Craig Lowndes to the chequered flag. Fellow South Australians and Walkinshaw Racing teammates Tim Slade and Nick Percat both avoided the opening lap carnage and crossed the line 13th and 14th.
The double points finale saw Scott McLaughlin record Volvo’s first V8 Supercars victory ahead of Craig Lowndes. McLaughlin also won the points for the weekend from Lowndes and Michael Caruso, while the winner of the first three races, Shane van Gisbergen tumbled down the order to finish the race 14th.
Percat finished 13th and was in line for a better result, until he was hit and spun by the Volvo of Robert Dahlgren, following the lap eight restart.
After the Sunday race Percat said, “We made a good step forward today and although we didn’t get the result we wanted, the car speed in the last race was probably good enough to run in the top five.
“However starting out of 13th and with the antics going on ahead of us and then getting spun by the second Volvo, meant we ended up where we started.
“Just like the Clipsal we learnt more about the car and come away with more positives from the weekend. I am now focusing on the next championship round at Symmons Plains in a fortnight".
Coates Hire Racing
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Bring on Tassie
Next article Michael Caruso takes Nissan Motorsport's first podium for 2014
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
James Courtney
Friday favourite: When Aussie alpha males thrived at HRT
Supercars
Supercars
Friday favourite: When Aussie alpha males thrived at HRT
Courtney: Supercars retirement announcement "accidental"
Supercars
Supercars
Courtney: Supercars retirement announcement "accidental"
Supercars champion Courtney to retire from series after 2025 campaign
Supercars
Supercars
Sydney SuperNight
Supercars champion Courtney to retire from series after 2025 campaign
More from
Holden Racing Team
The major moments that made Holden a motorsport force
Supercars
Supercars
The major moments that made Holden a motorsport force
Skaife rivalry stopped Ingall pursuing HRT chance
Supercars
Supercars
Skaife rivalry stopped Ingall pursuing HRT chance
Sainz duo test Bathurst-winning Supercars Holden
Supercars
Supercars
Sainz duo test Bathurst-winning Supercars Holden
Latest news
WEC drivers question lack of full-course yellow after heavy Monza crash
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
1 h
WEC drivers question lack of full-course yellow after heavy Monza crash
Kyle Larson, Cliff Daniels and the Hendrick 5 are who we say they are
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
3 h
Kyle Larson, Cliff Daniels and the Hendrick 5 are who we say they are
Final NASCAR Cup points standings after 2026 Homestead finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
7 h
Final NASCAR Cup points standings after 2026 Homestead finale
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe