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V8 Supercars: First test for the international drivers (+ video)

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Khatir Soltani
From BigPond Sport

International touring car star Andy Priaulx was the fastest of the overseas contingent in a wet and messy test session at Queensland Raceway in preparation for the Gold Coast 600 Australian V8 Supercars event.

Priaulx clocked a 1min 11.3sec lap around the circuit on a set of green tyres during one of the rare moments the Queensland Raceway circuit was dry.

Many of the teams fielding the international drivers packed up their cars and kit when more rain fell mid-afternoon, leaving the circuit a couple of hours before the 5pm cut-off.



IndyCar driver Ryan Briscoe did a best lap of 1:11.09, a tenth of a second quicker than his Toll Holden Racing Team partner Will Davison.

Fellow Indy driver Scott Dixon, who is paired with Todd Kelly in the Jack Daniel's Commodore, did 1:12.0 on a new set of tyres while Kelly did a best of 1:12.2 on an old set.

Canadian Jacques Villeneuve turned a personal best lap of 1:12.42 on green tyres, half a second slower than his teammate Paul Dumbrell in the Bottle-O Falcon.

US-based Toowoomba dynamo Will Power returned some pleasing times in the Ford Performance Racing Falcon he will share with Steven Richards.

Power, narrowly beaten in the IndyCar title this season by Jim Beam contracted driver Dario Franchitti, ran a best of 1:13.39 on an old set of tyres which was comparable to Richards' best on used rubber (1:13.2).

Sebastien Bourdais, sharing the Mother Falcon with Jonathon Webb, was looking forward to getting more seat time before feeling really comfortable in the car.

Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
  • Over 8 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada