DJR Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin set a blistering pace around the Hidden Valley circuit this morning for the third and final free practice session of the weekend. The Kiwi driver blitzed the field in the forty five minute session with a best time of 1:05.56, smashing Craig Lowndes practice record here for 2016.
“The track was a bit cooler than it was here yesterday and what it probably will be in qualifying,” said a very pleased McLaughlin.“We ran a set of tyres then to get a feel for qualifying and we went ok. We did the 5.6s on a set left over from yesterday and then had another crack on the greens.”
David Reynolds was a very pleasing second for the Erebus Motorsport team after edging out Michael Caruso in the final minutes.
Craig Lowndes, who finished in the top three in both free practice sessions here yesterday, dropped to fourth in this session but was still pleased to be ahead of the second DJR Penske entrant of Fabian Coulthard, as well as being the fastest of the Triple Eight entries with Jamie Whincup sixth overall behind Coulthard and Shane van Gisbergen in ninth, just like yesterday.
Up until the final five minutes, Van Gisbergen was languishing down in P20, but he finally put in a bit stronger time, but it certainly won't be strong enough to make the Kiwi champion happy as he prepares for the first qualifying session of the weekend.
