Randle wary of first-lap Perth drama

Thomas Randle has cited the danger of going a lap down in Perth, following a spate of first-lap incidents in 2022.

The Tickford Racing driver — who took a Super2 pole in Perth in 2018 — was an innocent bystander in two lap 1 clashes in Perth last year.

Randle qualified towards the top 10 for both Sunday sprints, but was struck by misfortune as the bunched-up pack negated the opening corners.

The 2020 Super2 champion collided with Lee Holdsworth through the Turn 2-3-4 complex in the first Sunday sprint, and picked up damage.

In the later race, Randle was turned in front of the field at the high-speed Turn 5, and was narrowly missed by oncoming traffic.

Given Perth lap times are sub-60 seconds, being forced into an unscheduled stop will likely result in a driver going a lap down.

On both occasions, the #55 Castrol Ford dropped a lap as Randle was forced into pit lane for repairs.

It was a two-pronged sucker punch for then rookie Randle, who raced to a strong 12th in the opener a day before.

“We’ve had some good fortune there in Super2 — in Supercars, not as much,” Randle told The Driver’s Seat radio program.

“We got involved in two lap 1 incidents last year, which put us a lap down.

“It’s very easy to go a lap down — if you’ve got to do an unexpected pit stop, you’re already a lap down.

“Then you’ve got to do your CPS [compulsory pit stop] as well. Didn't really have a great run at it last year."

First-lap incidents aren’t just relegated to the mid-pack in Perth — notably, Mark Skaife was rubbed out of races in 2005 and 2008 after lap 1 crashes.

Off the line, the field is compressed after a short run to Turn 1, which is quickly followed by the quick left-right-left of Turns 2, 3 and 4.

However, evidence of Gen3 cars following closely together in Melbourne could encourage more drama at Turn 5 — where Randle was sent into a spin — and the braking zone of Turn 6.

The biggest flashpoint area looms as Turn 7, which is the primary overtaking spot of the circuit.

Exiting Turn 7, seconds after Randle and Holdsworth collided, Scott Pye was sent into the pit wall at speed after a clash with Jack Le Brocq.

“It’ll be interesting to see what it’s like when we go there this year with the Gen3 cars,” said Randle, who was an impressive seventh overall for the Melbourne weekend earlier this month.

“It’s not a long track, but it’s got a lot of elevation, and the way you’ve got to drive into 'the bowl’ [Turn 6]… it’s quite a challenging track.

“We’ve already noticed with these cars… your inputs need to be more finite, there’s more finessing behind the wheel.

“Any slide that you have in race mode, you’re going to wear the tyres out.”

Series leader Brodie Kostecki added: “It’ll be quite interesting — Barbagallo got resurfaced a few years ago.

“In Perth, the surface degrades very fast there with the sand, it’ll be interesting to see what these cars are like there.

“It was pretty hard to follow in the cars last year there. But these cars, you can follow through the high-speed corners flat out.

“It’ll be good racing into the last corner, hopefully there are no big prangs.”

Randle is 14th in the drivers' standings, and just 13 points from the top 10, heading to the Perth event.

The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship will resume at the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint on April 28-30.

Supercars drivers will compete in three 42-lap sprints, with the action commencing with a 90-minute practice session on Friday April 28.