Triple Eight had a strong day, with Will Brown setting the fastest time of the day at Mount Panorama. Brown, who replaced Shane van Gisbergen, topped the time sheets in a rain-interrupted session. His teammate Broc Feeney finished third.
Todd Hazelwood, filling in for Brodie Kostecki at Erebus Motorsport, finished second fastest. Brown made the move from Erebus to Triple Eight to partner with Feeney, forming the youngest pairing on the grid.
Brown expressed his satisfaction with the new team, saying, “I felt good on my lap. It definitely feels different at a new team, but it’s been really cool.”
Hazelwood, determined to make the most of his opportunity, praised the team and his engineers for providing him with a competitive car. He finished second fastest in Friday’s final session.
Other notable performances included Matt Payne as the top Ford Mustang in fourth and Nick Percat from Matt Stone Racing in fifth.
The practice session was eventful with rain causing multiple incidents early on. Anton De Pasquale and David Reynolds both went off track, prompting a red flag. Reynolds recovered to finish 12th, while De Pasquale finished just behind him.
Ryan Wood from Walkinshaw Andretti United was the top rookie, finishing 11th fastest. Jack Le Brocq, who replaced Brown at Erebus, faced engine issues and finished 22nd.
The drama continued for Erebus Motorsport as Le Brocq had engine trouble in the opening session. Feeney, setting the pace in the first session, felt confident after plenty of track time in the Bathurst 12 Hour.
Qualifying, a top-10 shootout, and a 250km race are scheduled for Saturday, promising more excitement at Bathurst.
Source: Supercars: Will Brown makes instant impact with Triple Eight at Bathurst
