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Edition

Australia
Practice report

Sydney Supercars: McLaughlin fastest, Red Bulls miss Q2

Scott McLaughlin topped the final Supercars practice session at Sydney Motorsport Park, while the Red Bull Holden drivers will be forced to go through Q2 after missing the combined Top 10.

Scott McLaughlin, DJR Team Penske

Scott McLaughlin, DJR Team Penske

Mark Horsburgh, Edge Photographics

Points leader McLaughlin jumped to the top of the Practice 2 times with eight minutes of the half hour to go, his 1m28.978s the first under the 1m29s bracket in the day time session.

He then consolidated top spot with a green tyre run with 90s to go, improving to a 1m28.836s to leave him 0.014s clear of Rick Kelly.

"It’s a lot different this track in the day, that’s for sure,” he said.

“You’re back in your natural habitat. I like the night, but it’s nice to push that little bit harder in the day.

"The car is really good, I probably lost three or four tenths in that final corner. I’m excited.”

Finishing second cemented Kelly's spot in Q2, while for McLaughlin's teammate Fabian Coulthard this session was crucial in terms of his qualifying order. The Kiwi was just 19th fastest last night, and it wasn't until just inside the final 10 minutes of today's session that he finally made his way into the combined Top 10.

Even then he was shuffled back out of the Top 10 during late improvements, another lap right on the flag enough to go third quickest for the session fourth on combined times.

Tim Slade was another driver to use Practice 2 to avoid Q1, the fourth quickest time leaving him sixth in combined times.

James Courtney was fifth for the session and seventh combined, having already locked down a provisional Q2 berth last night, while Jack Le Brocq was one of the big surprises of the session, grabbing a shock Q2 spot with the sixth fastest time for the session and eighth best combined.

Le Brocq wasn't the only rookie to shine, with James Golding and Anton De Pasquale seventh and eighth for the session. GRM driver Golding even did enough to sneak into the Top 10 combined, while Erebus' De Pasquale was the unlucky man left on the bubble in 11th.

Chaz Mostert was ninth quickest in P2, although already comfortably through to Q2 thanks to his Friday night efforts.

Michael Caruso rounded out the Top 10 for the session, but wasn't able to do enough to avoid Q1.

Scott Pye and Mark Winterbottom will both go straight through to Q2 as well, despite both missing the Top 15 in the session.

The Red Bull Holden drivers weren't so lucky, both Shane van Gisbergen and Jamie Whincup forced into Q1. Whincup was just 16th in both the session and combined, while 21st in the session saw title contender slump to 17th on combined times.

Craig Lowndes missed the cut too, meaning all three of the T8 Commodores will go the long way in qualifying.

“We didn’t get a run at the end there, which we would have liked,” said Whincup.

“We had a bit of a feel [on the out-lap] and unfortunately it wasn’t a rocket. We’ve still got work to do.”

Nick Percat also slipped out of the Top 10 compared to Friday practice, as did David Reynolds.

Cla # Driver Car Time Gap
1 17 New Zealand Scott McLaughlin Ford Falcon FG X 1'28.8369  
2 15 Australia Rick Kelly Nissan Altima 1'28.8516 0.0147
3 12 New Zealand Fabian Coulthard Ford Falcon FG X 1'28.9272 0.0903
4 14 Australia Tim Slade Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.1456 0.3087
5 25 Australia James Courtney Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.1789 0.3420
6 19 Australia Jack Le Brocq Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.2510 0.4141
7 34 Australia James Golding Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.3080 0.4711
8 99 Anton de Pasquale Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.3722 0.5353
9 55 Australia Chaz Mostert Ford Falcon FG X 1'29.3742 0.5373
10 23 Australia Michael Caruso Nissan Altima 1'29.4160 0.5791
11 888 Australia Craig Lowndes Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.4344 0.5975
12 9 Australia David Reynolds Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.4355 0.5986
13 8 Australia Nick Percat Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.6118 0.7749
14 6 Australia Cameron Waters Ford Falcon FG X 1'29.6464 0.8095
15 33 Australia Garth Tander Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.6616 0.8247
16 1 Australia Jamie Whincup Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.7788 0.9419
17 2 Australia Scott Pye Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.8268 0.9899
18 5 Australia Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon FG X 1'29.8326 0.9957
19 7 New Zealand Andre Heimgartner Nissan Altima 1'29.8399 1.0030
20 18 Australia Lee Holdsworth Holden Commodore ZB 1'29.8523 1.0154
21 97 New Zealand Shane van Gisbergen Holden Commodore ZB 1'30.1280 1.2911
22 78 Switzerland Simona de Silvestro Nissan Altima 1'30.3014 1.4645
23 56 New Zealand Richie Stanaway Ford Falcon FG X 1'30.3248 1.4879
24 35 Australia Todd Hazelwood Ford Falcon FG X 1'30.4204 1.5835
25 21 Australia Tim Blanchard Holden Commodore ZB 1'30.4507 1.6138
26 230 Australia Will Davison Ford Falcon FG X 1'30.5836 1.7467

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