Hope drives Mostert on
CHAZ Mostert is out to put Tickford Racing back on the V8 map after a storming practice session yesterday at the Ipswich SuperSpint.
Mostert breathed life back into the former championshipwinning team by challenging heavyweights Red Bull Holden Racing Team and DJR/ Penske, clocking the third fastest lap.
“We haven’t finished up the pointy end often this year,” Mostert said.
“Not in races, practice or anything. I am a little bit nervous about being in this pos- ition ( third) at the moment but we have been very critical of ourselves in a bid to do a better job.
“I am just hoping that we can go out and do a similarly good job in the race and finish with a top five. That would be awesome.”
Mostert has a fine record at Queensland Raceway, winning races at the Ipswich track in 2013 and 2015.
“The track feels pacy,” Mostert said. “A bit similar to those years ( 2013 and 2015).”
While hopeful, Mostert also admitted he was wary of success following his team’s lean year having scored just one po- dium spot – Mark Winterbottom’s second placing in Perth.
“This is a track where we have a previous history of going well,” Mostert said.
“I just hope it is not one of those weekends where we rely on the past and don’t do well because we don’t learn anything. Right now, the car is giving me good feedback and I was able to put it where I wanted it.”
Red Bull and Penske showed their might yesterday with Shane van Gisbergen finishing first ahead of Penske’s Fabian Coulthard in second.
Van Gisbergen is out to score back to back wins after storming the Townsville 400 to become a serious championship chance.
The biggest threat to Scott McLaughlin for the title, van Gisbergen complained about being forced to use old tyres for most of the day.
The Red Bull driver did not use a fresh set until the end of the second practice session due to a limited tyre bank.
“It was a frustrating day because we were just running around on crap tyres,” van Gisbergen said.
“There have been no wet races this year so we have used all of our practice tyres. But everyone is in the same boat but it is still frustrating. It is not until you put a new set on that you suddenly have all your problems solved.”
Van Gisbergen showed his true pace in the final stages on fresh rubber to edge out Coulthard. “( The car) is awesome but you don’t get a good feel for it ( until the end),” van Gisbergen said.
Craig Lowndes, who announced his retirement at the Townsville 400, made a promising start yesterday, finishing third fastest in opening practice before tyre balance issues relegated him to ninth in the next session ahead of today’s opening race.