Lowndes keen on ‘exciting’ format

SUPERCARS star Craig Lowndes says the new three-stage qualifying session designed specifically for Symmons Plains will be a knockout.

The 10 fastest drivers from practice yesterday will all bypass qualifying one (Q1) today, leaving the rest of the 26-car field to battle the clock.

From that group of 16, the top six progress to the Q2 while the rest fill positions 17 to 26 on the grid. The fastest 10 from yesterday join the best six from Q1 for the 10-minute Q2, from which the top 10 progress to Q3 to fight for pole position and spots on the first five rows of the grid.

Lowndes likes the format, to be used at the series’ two smallest tracks — Symmons and Barbagallo, WA.

“It will be exciting,” he said. “I prefer that to the AGP [Round 2 in Melbourne]. At the AGP we had 10 minutes each — it was sort of in nowhere land for us. It was frustrating because we only had 10 minutes to get it right and we didn’t. But here, with the knockout system, everyone is very keen to get into the top 10.

“It’s going to be exciting for fans and exciting for us, especially at a track where everyone keeps complaining about traffic. Once we can get rid of some traffic, hopefully we can get a clean lap.”

Lowndes likes Symmons Plains, where he has won nine times.

“The car is working much better this weekend,” he said.

“We haven’t shown our true potential so this might be a good sign for us.”