De Pasquale edges van Gisbergen in Practice 2

The stage is set for a bumper qualifying session for Race 26, with Anton De Pasquale edging Shane van Gisbergen in Practice 2.

De Pasquale was a class above in the earlier BP Ultimate Sydney SuperSprint session, with van Gisbergen only 16th.

However, van Gisbergen turned the tide in Practice 2 to end up just over a tenth down on the #11 Shell V-Power Racing Team Mustang.

Jamie Whincup was straight into the 1:29s bracket on a 1:29.948s, with Brodie Kostecki 0.054s behind on his first flyer.

Through eight minutes, Whincup, Kostecki, Nick Percat and Will Brown were covered by just 0.109s.

Brown managed to set his time having been forced into the garage with a suspected loose plug lead.

Will Davison dipped below Whincup’s time by 0.061s, before De Pasquale went quicker still on a 1:29.790s.

De Pasquale was, however, still 0.3s away from his Practice 1-topping 1:29.440s.

Van Gisbergen clocked a 1:30.914s early on but completed the balance of the 30-minute session in the garage.

Through 20 minutes, van Gisbergen was 23rd, with his standing time 1.12s from De Pasquale.

Drivers returned for their final runs before qualifying, and it was van Gisbergen who vaulted to the top with a 1:29.758s.

Van Gisbergen set his time on a new tyre, with De Pasquale setting his time on tyres used in the morning session.

Neither Davison nor De Pasquale were able to shift van Gisbergen, who finished Practice 1 in 16th, 1.18s off the pace.

All drivers returned to pit lane ahead of a final time attack on green tyres.

Kostecki fired to the top with a 1:29.606s ahead of Davison, before De Pasquale lowered the marker by 0.318s.

Van Gisbergen clocked a 1:29.391s to draw within 0.11s of De Pasquale, with Kostecki, Davison and Brown rounding out the top five.

Whincup's first flyer on his final run was ruined by a kerb strike. He ended the session 0.660s off the pace in ninth, behind Chaz Mostert, Jack Le Brocq and Cameron Waters.

Van Gisbergen was pleased to close the gap to De Pasquale, but reiterated how challenging wind gusts had made running.

"There's still a tenth to find. We stacked our tyres for that last one, and did two qualy sims," van Gisbergen said.

"It feels pretty good... you feel like you're awesome through [Turn] 1, you're going so much slower into it, but you get to [Turn] 4 and you plough off the road.

"You get there and it doesn't understeer, and the gust drops. It's a bit awkward. Everyone's battling with the same stuff."

Cars will return to the track for three-part ARMOR ALL Qualifying at 2:10pm AEDT.

The 32-lap Race 26 will commence at 4:45pm.