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With Melbourne temperatures
soaring to a scorching 42 degrees, Ford Performance Racing embarked on a daring
strategy for today’s V8 Supercar qualifying that saw them clinch
second-fastest.
With limited tyre allocation and intense on-track heat, drivers Steve
Richards and Mark Winterbottom sat in the pit lane for most of the 30-minute
session knowing their tyres would only be good for one or two fast
laps.
Both drivers were on it straight away, with Richards finishing second
and Winterbottom sixth to earn two places in tomorrow’s one-lap
shoot out at 12:45.
Richards’ time of 1:58.66 is all the more incredible given his #6
Castrol FPR Falcon has been completely reconstructed following last Sunday’s
massive shunt at Eastern Creek.
Steven Richards
#6 Castrol FPR Falcon
“I would have to say that the car was absolutely fantastic; it feels
like it’s going to be an absolute steam train in the race tomorrow! It didn’t
lack grip at all; in fact I probably under-drove it a little bit because I
wasn’t expecting it to stick so well.
“All things considered, after the smash we had last weekend, the team
has done an awesome job to be competitive.”
Mark Winterbottom
#5 Orrcon Ford Credit FPR
Falcon
“I lost about eight-tenths on my flying lap because a car dropped a
load of dirt all over the track, but my time was good enough to get me in the
top ten for tomorrow’s shoot out, and that’s what counts.
“We used all our tyres, which hurts. There are eight guys in the top
ten who’ve done the same so only [Craig] Lowndes and [Garth] Tander will be
racing on greens. The rest we can have the same go at tomorrow, so it’s looking
good for the shoot-out.'
Tim Edwards
FPR Team Principal
“We knew the tyres only had a couple of laps in them, so there was no
point going out too early. The team was confident we had the pace so we left it
right to the last minute. Obviously the heat affects mechanics, drivers and cars
alike but everyone’s coping well.”
2008 Formula 1 ING Australian Grand Prix
ALBERT PARK GRAND PRIX
CIRCUIT
Sprint Gas V8 Supercars Manufacturers Challenge -
QUALIFYING
Mark Skaife Holden Commodore VE
Steven Richards, Castrol Ford
Falcon
Jason Richards, Holden Commodore
Will Davison, Ford Falcon BF
Garth Tander Holden Commodore VE
Mark Winterbottom, Orrcon Ford Credit FPR
Falcon
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