Dumbrell leads the way

Paul Dumbrell has topped the first V8 Supercars Dunlop Series practice session for 2016 at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide, beating the next best by six-tenths of a second with a 1min23.0182 lap.

The session saw the first appearance of the New Generation or ‘Car of the Future’ chassis in the Dunlop Series, and the introduction of 18 inch tyres across the entire field.

Lap times dropped consistently across the session, starting in the 1:25s during the ‘rookie’ part of session, led by Richard Muscat in a Garry Rogers Motorsport Commodore.

Once the more experienced drivers rolled out, two-time Series Champion Paul Dumbrell took control and led the way for most of the session.

Dumbrell was the fastest man on track in each sector, pushing hard to pick up three kerb ‘hops’, the warning for going outside the track limits through corners.

Jack Le Brocq used his first outing in his new Prodrive Racing FG X to impress, finishing the session in second place behind Dumbrell.

Dumbrell applied pressure to Le Brocq late in the session, following him closely around the Adelaide Parklands circuit in what could be interpreted as an early display of dominance.

Josh Kean had a great run in his Wynn’s Racing VF Commodore to finish third behind Le Brocq.

Fifteen year-old Alex Rullo created history when he rolled out of pit lane in his Castrol backed Commodore, becoming the youngest V8 Supercars driver in history. He finished the session in 19th place.

Dan Day had an eye-opening spin at the end of the Brabham Straight in his Dreamland Bedding Falcon on his way to finish 16th.  

Sixteen year-old Jake Kostecki had a tough debut into the series, earning himself six kerb hops, and taking an excursion into the gravel at the turn one chicane in his ex-Red Bull Racing Australia VF Commodore.

Shae Davies made solid contact with the tyre bundles at the chicane, but was lucky to get away without any damage and ended the session seventh.

The PAYCE Brad Jones Racing Commodore of Macauley Jones needed some running repairs to the front splitter, finishing the session just inside the top 10.

Click here for full results.

Practice two for the V8 Supercars Dunlop Series will start at 3:25pm local Adelaide time.