De Pasquale targets all-important qualifying

Saturday Darwin qualifying is of high importance given the unknowns on tyre performance, says Anton De Pasquale.

Cars will return to the track on Saturday morning for three-part ARMOR ALL Qualifying.

Qualifying will be followed by a Top Ten Shootout.

The Merlin Darwin Triple Crown will be completed with a minimum tyre pressure of 20psi.

Several drivers completed race runs in Friday’s first session before targeting pace in the second.

De Pasquale reiterated that starting at the front will allow for a buffer as teams learn the tyres.

It comes after Andre Heimgartner claimed anticipated tyre degradation will greater impact race strategy.

“It’s pretty important,” De Pasquale said of qualifying.

"Racing is going to be pretty tough.

“How that new tyre rule pans out, we're not too sure yet, so we will see that through tomorrow.

“Through all that you want to be at the front somewhere so hopefully, that is where we are.”

De Pasquale, who was 16th and third in Friday's two sessions, scored Saturday pole 12 months ago.

Since 2010, 25 of 32 races at Hidden Valley have been won from the first two rows on the grid.

Mark Winterbottom, who started alongside De Pasquale last year, could be another to throw his hat in the ring.

The Team 18 driver believes he had genuine top five on race pace after Friday’s running.

"The car is pretty good,” said Winterbottom, who was eighth and fifth in the two sessions.

"I had a really good run in Practice 1 where I felt we were top three pace, it was really strong.

"We ended up fifth in Practice 2, so I think that was where we were to be fair, but we are in the mix.

"I’m happy, I think we are in a good spot and we’ll have a big crack tomorrow."

Three-part qualifying will commence at 11:45am local time. The first 38-lap race will start at 3:25pm local time.

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