Lights out, making moves: Who are the best and worst on lap 1?
Richie Stanaway, James Courtney the best drivers on lap 1 so far in 2025
Stanaway, Courtney have gained a total of 19 positions on opening laps
Kai Allen, James Golding have lost 24, 19 positions respectively
Richie Stanaway and James Courtney may be having a rotten time in qualifying, but they are having the best time of all on lap 1 after the lights go out.
Through three rounds in 2025, Stanaway and and Courtney have gained a total of 19 positions on the opening lap across the first nine races of the season.
Stanaway and Courtney are 17th and 24th on average in qualifying, but have been charging through the field. Stanaway has passed 22 cars and Courtney 21, losing just three and two positions respectively.
It's a tale of two stories at PremiAir Racing, with Stanaway's teammate James Golding losing 19 positions. Only Penrite Racing rookie Kai Allen has lost more spots on lap 1, benching 24 places.
Allen has lost ground in six of nine races off the start, although much of the damage was done in Race 1 in Sydney and Race 10 in New Zealand, losing eight and 17 positions. The latter came after Allen made the Sunday Shootout at Taupō, only to be sent into a spin by Chaz Mostert at Turn 1.
Will Brown, meanwhile, has enhanced his status as the best racer in the field with a gain of 11 positions across the first nine races, equal with Macauley Jones.
The Triple Eight star has moved forward in all but two races, albeit losing no positions in the Melbourne opener, and just one position in the second Taupō race.
Stanaway also owns the single biggest lap 1 jump so far this season, when he gained a whopping nine spots in the Melbourne finale. In what was a dramatic start to Race 6, Stanaway went from 16th to seventh, as Matt Payne was turned around at Turn 1, dropping 18 spots.
Drivers will vie for three wins at the upcoming Snowy River Caravans Tasmania Super 440. Tickets on sale now.
Most positions gained/lost on lap 1 (2025)
Correct to 2025 ITM Taupō Super 440
Driver | Pos. gained | Pos. lost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Stanaway | +22 | -3 | +19 |
Courtney | +21 | -2 | +19 |
Brown | +12 | -1 | +11 |
Jones | +17 | -6 | +11 |
Cameron^ | +8 | +8 | |
Evans | +13 | -5 | +8 |
De Pasquale | +10 | -4 | +6 |
Mostert | +10 | -4 | +6 |
Waters | +8 | -2 | +6 |
Percat | +9 | -4 | +5 |
Crick* | +4 | +4 | |
Fullwood | +7 | -4 | +3 |
Heimgartner | +6 | -5 | +1 |
Love* | +1 | -1 | 0 |
Davison | +6 | -8 | -2 |
Feeney | +3 | -5 | -2 |
Reynolds | +11 | -14 | -3 |
Randle | +10 | -13 | -3 |
Hill | +4 | -9 | -5 |
Kostecki | +7 | -14 | -7 |
Le Brocq | +10 | -18 | -8 |
Wood | +10 | -18 | -8 |
Murray | +12 | -22 | -10 |
Payne | +10 | -20 | -10 |
Golding | +6 | -25 | -19 |
Allen | +9 | -33 | -24 |
*Round 1 only
^Round 2 onwards
Biggest lap 1 gains/losses
Gains | Losses |
|---|---|
+9, Stanaway Race 6 | -18, Payne Race 6 |
+7, Courtney Race 2 | -17, Allen Race 10 |
+7, Courtney Race 6 | -16, Le Brocq Race 5 |
+6, Jones Race 6 | -14, Wood Race 2 |
+6, Waters Race 6 | -10, Randle Race 6 |
