Co-drivers score crucial seat time in Sydney

Monday’s post-Sydney ride day has doubled as a crucial chance for co-drivers to get laps in the new Gen3 cars ahead of the enduros.

All Supercars teams have taken to Sydney Motorsport Park after the Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight for a corporate ride day.

There is no additional driver practice at the OTR SuperSprint, meaning test days and ride days are all that’s left for co-drivers and teams to prepare.

Critically, the ride day — held on the short Sydney circuit — was a low-pressure environment for co-drivers to acquaint themselves with new cars.

That includes the likes of Team 18 recruit Warren Luff, who drove Scott Pye’s #20 Hino Camaro for the first time on Monday.

Luff has been loaned out to Team 18 from Walkinshaw Andretti United, and will race alongside Pye at Sandown and Bathurst.

WAU also brought its two Super2 cars to Sydney for the ride day.

“He’s super pumped top get in the car and get some laps finally,” Pye told the Schick Cool Down Lap podcast.

“He hadn’t driven my car yet, so it’s an unreal opportunity to take some of our partners, VIP guests and likewise around the track.

“It’s also an opportunity for himself to get some laps. Gen3 is going to be a big shift for a lot of the guys.

“Opportunities like this are ones they jump at.”

Richie Stanaway and Jamie Whincup were both on site for Red Bull Ampol Racing, which ran its three chassis on Monday, given Shane van Gisbergen switched to the wildcard chassis.

Kai Allen, who was recently announced in a Shell V-Power Racing Team wildcard, was also at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Anton De Pasquale, who will race with Tony D’Alberto for a third season, said his co-driver was one of many to get his money’s worth of laps.

“Normally we share these days,” De Pasquale told the Schick Cool Down Lap podcast.

“[Usually] half-half, but considering they’ve done really minimal laps in these cars — I’ve done a handful, couple of guests to start the day, get a baseline, then he’s in.

“He’s getting his money’s worth.”

This year's enduro season will commence at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on September 15-17, ahead of the Repco Bathurst 1000 on October 5-8.

The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship will resume at the OTR SuperSprint on August 18-20.