Mostert paces first practice with late flyer

A last-gasp flyer has helped Chaz Mostert top opening Merlin Darwin Triple Crown practice.

All 27 Indigenous liveries hit the track in anger for the first time at Hidden Valley Raceway.

After 30 minutes, it was Mostert who emerged top of the pops after a final flurry of times.

David Reynolds held top spot for the balance of the 30-minute hit out.

Reynolds clocked a 1:06.049s with five minutes elapsed, and the time held firm.

However, he was demoted to fourth in the dying seconds by Mostert, Will Brown and James Courtney.

Brown and Courtney were 0.03s and 0.08s behind respectively.

Series leader Shane van Gisbergen was only 17th, with teammate Broc Feeney 22nd.

Several drivers clocked upwards of 15 laps; Jack Smith recorded the most laps with 20.

Van Gisbergen, Feeney, Cam Waters, Anton De Pasquale and Todd Hazelwood all turned 19 laps.

Conversely, Reynolds recorded just nine laps.

Mostert's 1:05.935s best proved 0.23s quicker than Nick Percat's time from the corresponding session in 2021.

"The car felt pretty good," Mostert said.

"It was a pretty tricky session... it was nice to go quick at the end there, but we used a set of tyres to do it.

"I don't think we're many miles away. Hopefully we can stay in the window and have a competitive weekend."

Mostert's Walkinshaw Andretti United teammate Nick Percat was seventh quickest.

Andre Heimgartner ran second behind Reynolds for the balance of the session, and ended up fifth.

Mark Winterbottom, Jake Kostecki and Thomas Randle rounded out the top 10.

The top 24 cars were covered by 0.95s.

Local driver Bryce Fullwood ended up 27th and last, having hit the barriers at Turn 11.

The minor impact sheared the right-side rear wing endplate off the car.

PremiAir Racing duo Garry Jacobson and Chris Pither were the other drivers to strike early trouble.

Jacobson bowled a wide at Turn 5, with Pither losing the rear of his car in quick sympathy.

Cars will return to the track for Practice 2 at 2:05pm local time.

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