Perez upbeat by first Supercar laps

Formula 1 star Sergio Perez has enjoyed his first taste of a Triple Eight Supercar.

The two-time Grand Prix winner took to a Red Bull Ampol-liveried Commodore at Albert Park on Thursday.

Red Bull Racing driver Perez, who recently scored his first F1 pole, was shown the rigours of a Supercar by Broc Feeney.

It comes after Feeney qualified fourth for the second race of the Beaurepaires Melbourne 400.

Mexican driver Perez is preparing for his 10th Australian Grand Prix start and his first with Red Bull.

The former Ferrari junior made his F1 debut in 2011 for Sauber, and moved to Force India in 2014 following a year with McLaren.

Triple Eight fitted the car with Perez's #11

He remained with Force India through its renaming to Racing Point before he shifted to Red Bull in 2021.

Perez has made over 200 F1 starts, and firms as an outside chance for the 2022 title.

For Perez, the key differences between his 795kg F1 car and the 1395 Supercar were mainly felt when he hit the brake pedal.

However, he expressed his delight in being able to attack the circuit with more vigour.

"The braking was the biggest challenge," Perez said.

"The braking efficiency, coordinating the corners is quite different.

"But it's really good fun; the amount of kerb you're able to take, you're limited with that in F1.

Feeney helps Perez with the sequential gear system

"I was able to use the whole track."

Triple Eight Race Engineering is also celebrating 10 seasons with energy drink giant Red Bull as its naming rights sponsor.

Perez wasn't the only F1 star to sample a Supercar; a few hundred metres up pit lane, Fernando Alonso took to Thomas Randle's Castrol Mustang.

The F1 and Supercars worlds have oft intertwined, most recently when current world champion Max Verstappen raced in Supercars' Eseries in 2020.

Popular Australian driver Daniel Riccardo sampled Triple Eight's 'Sandman' ride car at Sandown in 2016.

Three years later, Ricciardo cut laps aboard Rick Kelly's Nissan Altima at Calder Park. also drove the Kelly Racing Nissan Altima at Calder Park in 2019.

Perez on track

Perez, who races with a paddle shift gear system, also expressed his delight with Supercars' sequential gear system.

"It's semi-automatic, so it's straightforward," he said.

"[Cornering] is quite tricky in that regard, it was quite an experience.

"It was really good fun."

Supercars drivers will return for two more ARMOR ALL Qualifying sessions on Friday morning.

Perez will tackle Albert Park for Free Practice 1 of the F1 event at 1:00pm AEST.