Reinvented Jacobson's early benefits on team's home soil
30 Oct 2021
Garry Jacobson is beginning to bear the early fruits of a change to his driving style at his team's home swing of events.
The 2016 Super2 champion first tested the style aboard his #22 Commodore at Queensland Raceway.
On Friday, Jacobson came to grips with the style aboard his car, which has undergone repairs since July’s Townsville doubleheader.
Both Team Sydney cars were sent to Triple Eight Race Engineering’s headquarters.
Team Sydney is a customer of Triple Eight.
“In terms of the mid-season break, it gave us the perfect opportunity to really go through the car,” Jacobson told Supercars.com.
“We really wanted to make it as fresh as it can be, and apply the same set-ups to the Triple Eight customer support package that we know.
“We want to be able to count on that it will be apples and apples with a set-up direction, versus what Shane and Jamie have.
“So far, so good. The car ran faultlessly at the QR test day, and last night was just about me trying to get used to the package.
“After yesterday, obviously the car can be better; but that's what everyone says.”
Jacobson, who debuted a new livery on Friday, was 19th in the afternoon Practice 1 and 23rd in the floodlit Practice 2.
However, he said Friday’s running was two-fold; getting used to a car closer to a set-up he wants, and getting used to his new driving style.
While the results didn’t show on Friday, Jacobson said he already feels in control of his new style.
“I’m still getting my head around it a little bit,” he said of the left-foot braking.
“I did some good things in some parts of the track last night, and poor things at others.
“The best thing after yesterday is knowing I can do it; I just have to stitch it all together.
“I want to get to the end of these four weeks and have taken the opportunity to change things I previously wouldn’t have.
“I can always go back [to left-foot braking] but I want to give this everything I’ve got.”
It was also revealed that construction will shortly begin on Team Sydney’s new headquarters, to be located near the main grandstand at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Jacobson was excited to welcome new staff at the first of the team’s four consecutive home events ahead of the season finale in Bathurst.
“It’s good to be back to where we want to be,” he said of the team’s Sydney base.
“We want to build the foundations around us and build relationships with local suppliers.
“We’ve also got a few new recruits this weekend, and they’re having fun and walking around with smiles on their faces.
“We’ll only get better and better across this next six weeks.”
Jacobson is 22nd in the points, 36 points ahead of teammate Fabian Coulthard.
Cars will return to the track for ARMOR ALL Qualifying at 3:35pm AEDT on Saturday.
A Top Ten Shootout will follow at 4:40pm, with Race 20 to commence under lights at 7:10pm.
Drivers will have just five sets of the Dunlop Soft compound from the start of Saturday's first qualifying session.
