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Edition

Australia
Practice report

Winton Supercars: McLaughlin sets early Sunday pace

Scott McLaughlin led an all-Mustang top three in Sunday practice at Winton, as a number of key Holden drivers missed out on an automatic Q2 spot.

Scott McLaughlin, DJR Team Penske

Scott McLaughlin, DJR Team Penske

Team Penske

Crews were greeted by dry, cold conditions to kickstart Sunday's action, times dipping into the 1m19s almost from the word go.

It was Jamie Whincup that led the way initially thanks to a 1m19.734s, which left him roughly a tenth clear of yesterday's pacesetters Chaz Mostert and McLaughlin.

Just after the 10-minute mark Anton De Pasquale took over at the top with a 1m19.614s. However his stint in P1 was brief, McLaughlin moving himself well clear of the field with a 1m18.932s.

That time would have been good enough, but McLaughlin still came out at the end for a green tyre run, moving the benchmark down to a 1m18.920s.

“We made a bit of a chunk last night, we changed a fair bit because it just didn’t feel good over the kerbs,” he said.

“It’s definitely better there today, so we’ll see how we go.”

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Mostert was next-best in the Tickford Mustang, finishing the session just under two-tenths behind McLaughlin, while Fabian Coulthard made 14 spots on his very last lap to slot into third and avoid a second consecutive Q1 berth.

Whincup and David Reynolds were the best Holdens in fourth and fifth, as Will Davison used his final run to bank a valuable spot inside the Top 10 with sixth.

Scott Pye led the way for Walkinshaw Andretti United in seventh, Cam Waters was a late improver to finish eighth, De Pasquale was ninth and Nick Percat the final driver to bank an automatic Q2 spot.

Lee Holdsworth was the only Mustang driver to miss out on the Top 10, but it wasn't by much, his gap to Percat just 0.006s.

Shane van Gisbergen and Mark Winterbottom will both be forced to go the long way in qualifying, ending the session just 15th and 18th respectively.

James Courtney, who finished fourth in yesterday's race, will need to likewise, finishing up down in 17th after an off at Turn 7 midway through the session.

Cla # Driver Car Time Gap
1 17 New Zealand Scott McLaughlin Ford Mustang GT 1'18.9202  
2 55 Australia Chaz Mostert Ford Mustang GT 1'19.1084 0.1882
3 12 New Zealand Fabian Coulthard Ford Mustang GT 1'19.1155 0.1953
4 88 Australia Jamie Whincup Holden Commodore ZB 1'19.1940 0.2738
5 9 Australia David Reynolds Holden Commodore ZB 1'19.2373 0.3171
6 23 Australia Will Davison Ford Mustang GT 1'19.2883 0.3681
7 2 Australia Scott Pye Holden Commodore ZB 1'19.3136 0.3934
8 6 Australia Cameron Waters Ford Mustang GT 1'19.3638 0.4436
9 99 Australia Anton De Pasquale Holden Commodore ZB 1'19.3710 0.4508
10 8 Australia Nick Percat Holden Commodore ZB 1'19.4004 0.4802
11 5 Australia Lee Holdsworth Ford Mustang GT 1'19.4067 0.4865
12 15 Australia Rick Kelly Nissan Altima 1'19.5334 0.6132
13 35 Australia Todd Hazelwood Holden Commodore ZB 1'19.5520 0.6318
14 14 Australia Tim Slade Holden Commodore ZB 1'19.5903 0.6701
15 97 New Zealand Shane van Gisbergen Holden Commodore ZB 1'19.5993 0.6791
16 7 New Zealand Andre Heimgartner Nissan Altima 1'19.6043 0.6841
17 22 Australia James Courtney Holden Commodore ZB 1'19.6232 0.7030
18 18 Australia Mark Winterbottom Holden Commodore ZB 1'19.6295 0.7093
19 3 Australia Garry Jacobson Nissan Altima 1'19.7602 0.8400
20 78 Switzerland Simona de Silvestro Nissan Altima 1'19.7857 0.8655
21 21 Australia Macauley Jones Holden Commodore ZB 1'20.1055 1.1853
22 19 Australia Jack Le Brocq Holden Commodore ZB 1'20.2177 1.2975
23 34 Australia James Golding Holden Commodore ZB 1'20.2417 1.3215
24 33 New Zealand Chris Pither Holden Commodore ZB 1'20.4822 1.5620
25 4 United States Jack Smith Holden Commodore ZB 1'20.6356 1.7154

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