
A heavy crash involving Chaz Mostert set the tone for a tumultuous opening day at the Supercars practice session in Bathurst. The wet and treacherous conditions at Mount Panorama on Thursday led to a series of incidents, with Mostert’s crash at Griffins Bend being the most notable.
Despite the chaos, Ryan Wood emerged as the fastest in Practice 1, while Scott Pye topped the charts in Practice 2, which was marred by a major crash and persistent rain. The red flag was a frequent sight throughout the day, initially due to a timing issue at the start of Practice 1, which caused the first delay.
Challenging Conditions at Mount Panorama
The wet and slippery track conditions made it difficult for drivers to post fast times. After the resumption of practice following Mostert’s crash, Wood clocked the fastest lap with a time of 2:05.1029s, followed by Anton de Pasquale and Grove Racing’s Kai Allen and Matthew Payne. Championship leader Broc Feeney rounded out the top five.
Mostert, who fortunately walked away unscathed from his crash, explained the incident to Fox Motorsport, saying, “Just went like slightly later than what I did the run before. But for whatever reason, the brake wouldn’t release. It just had a small lock and I don’t know, it just felt like I was skating.”
Impact on Teams and Drivers
Later in the day, Anton de Pasquale faced a setback as his car required repairs after co-driver Harri Jones lost control and collided with the fence. De Pasquale commented on the incident, “He’s obviously gone into that curb on the right, and it’s spat him out the left. There’s probably some damp or something there. Honest mistake, but we’ll see what the damage is like.”
The crash prompted most teams to retreat to the pits as a downpour made the track even more hazardous. Drivers navigated corners at the top of the mountain at speeds 50km/h slower than usual. The rain also resulted in a 20-second difference in lap times before and after the downpour.
“There’s a hell of a lot of risk out there for not much reward,” said driver Lee Holdsworth, highlighting the challenges faced by the teams.
Looking Ahead: Weather and Schedule
The unpredictable weather at Mount Panorama is expected to continue, with a 70% chance of rain forecasted for Thursday. This could further complicate the practice and qualifying sessions scheduled throughout the day.
The full schedule for Thursday, October 9, includes:
- 7.25am-7.45am: Touring Car Masters Practice
- 7.55am-8.15am: V8 SuperUtes Practice
- 8.25am-8.45am: TGRA GR Cup Practice 1
- 8.55am-9.45am: Porsche Carrera Cup Practice
- 10am-10.40am: Dunlop Super2 Series Practice 1
- 10.55am-11.15am: Touring Car Masters Qualifying
- 11.25am-11.45am: V8 SuperUtes Qualifying
- 12.45pm-1.05pm: TGRA GR Cup Practice 2
- 1.20pm-2.20pm: Supercars Practice 1 (All Drivers)
- 2.40pm-3.20pm: Dunlop Super2 Series Practice 2
- 3.35pm-4.15pm: Porsche Carrera Cup Qualifying
- 4.15pm-4.35pm: Touring Car Masters Trophy Race
- 4.50pm-5.50pm: Supercars Practice 2 (Co-Drivers)
Implications for the Bathurst 1000
The dramatic start to the Bathurst Supercars practice sessions underscores the unpredictable nature of motorsport, especially under challenging weather conditions. Teams will need to adapt quickly to ensure their cars are ready for the main event, the Bathurst 1000.
As the weekend progresses, all eyes will be on the weather and how it affects both the drivers and their strategies. The ability to navigate these conditions will be crucial for success at Mount Panorama.
Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops and the teams prepare for one of the most anticipated races on the Supercars calendar.