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Prodrive to push forward

04 Mar 2016
All four Falcons down the back on old tyres in P1.
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All is calm at Prodrive Racing Australia despite the team’s four Falcon FG Xs recording no better than the 19th fastest time in the opening practice session for the Clipsal 500 this morning.

While many of their rivals bolted on green tyres to set a time at the end of the session, defending drivers’ champion Mark Winterbottom, Chaz Mostert, Cameron Waters and Chris Pither elected to stay on old tyres.

But team boss Tim Edwards told v8supercars.com that all four drivers would have a hit on new soft and hard Dunlop rubber in this afternoon’s 40 minute session, which will then be followed by two 10 minute qualifiers. 

The two sessions will determine the grid order for tomorrow’s two 125km races, one to be conducted on soft tyres and the other on hards.

“Obviously a lot of people were mid-pack during the session and then jumped up to P1. Unless they did the most unbelievable set-up change on their car that found them 1.5 seconds I would suggest they changed their tyres.

“Until everybody is on the same tyre you don’t know the true situation.

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“Ultimately the times at the end of the next session will be dictated by soft tyres.”

Waters was 19th, Winterbottom 20, Mostert – in his first race appearance since his massive Bathurst crash last October – was 22nd, and Chris Pither 25th in the customer Super Black Racing entry.

Edwards said Mostert got through his first session at the concrete-lined Adelaide Parklands track unscathed.

“He is alright, I spoke to him just before and he said ‘I could do with some tyres’. That’s all I could get out of him.”

Volvo's Scott McLaughlin topped the first session at the Clipsal 500, ahead of Holden Racing Team's James Courtney.

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