‘Diabolical’ rain causes 11 crashes in all-time mayhem — Bathurst LIVE

It’s qualifying Friday at Mount Panorama – and the rain has arrived.

The rain mercifully stayed away on Thursday, delivering what might be the fastest track conditions of the weekend in the afternoon co-driver session.

Teams got more dry running in the opening session on Friday morning, but the long-awaited wet weather hit hard shortly after the session concluded.

It immediately caused chaos, with the TGRA86 category witnessing cars flung all over the race and into the dirt time and again.

There’s one more Supercars practice session (1pm AEDT) before qualifying at 4.55pm AEDT.

Sky News declared an 80% chance during the 1pm practice, and 60% during the 4pm qualifying session, while the Bureau of Meteorology said a thunderstorm was possible..

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RACE CENTRE: LIVE TIMES AND FULL SESSION RESULTS

THURSDAY WRAP: Slippery conditions leave top guns struggling as legends wind back block

ANALYSIS: Past meets future as legends wind back the clock

It lasted just six laps, but the TGRA86 category’s first race of the weekend delivered entertainment in spades - thanks to a procession of drivers losing control.

With the rain belting down, there were crashes galore, most notably on lap four when five drivers lost the track at the Chase.

And it didn’t take long for the wet weather to cause just as many problems for the Supercars stars.

Andre Heimgartner ran wide early on at The Chase but managed to avoid being beached, while Tim Slade also found the wall.

Then, less than 15 minutes into the session, Todd Hazelwood blasted straight into the wall at Turn 2. He was in third at the time and pushing hard.

Hazelwood said after his car was towed back to pit lane.: “It wasn’t too bad to be honest, I was pretty comfortable... pretty disappointing honestly. I normally go pretty well in the wet.”

“Hopefully we can get it repaired for the all-important qualifying session this afternoon.

Reigning Supercars champion and the current series leader Shane van Gisbergen was in first when the session was red-flagged, with Anton de Pasquale second.

When the session was resumed, Richie Stanaway stunned the field when he guided his Erebus/Boost Mobile wildcard entry into second spot, building further on his reputation as a wet-weather specialist. He improved even further to post a 2:31.840s to claim first spot.

But the weather was worsening - and the crashes would soon mount up.

“Conditions are diabolical out there at the moment on Mount Panorama,” Mark Skaife said on Fox Sports.

Rivers of water across the track on the final corner suddenly sent a raft of cars aquaplaning and sliding out of control, particularly at The Chase and the final corners at the end of the lap.

Tony D’Alberto (Anton de Pasquale’s co-driver) lost control trying to enter the pits, as did a number of fellow drivers. Cameron Hill (co-driver for Chris Pither), Macauley Jones, Brodie Kostecki and Jake Kostecki all lost control, though Macauley Jones was the only one to collide with the wall with any serious concern.

It led to another red flag, after EIGHT incidents already in the session.

It was restarted once more, but the action didn’t slow down.

Jake Kosteckie ran off again at The Chase.

Craig Lowndes flew off the road at the final corner as he tried to enter pit lane, while Will Brown’s Erebus brought out a third red flag after hitting the fence hard halfway up the hill and forcing him to stop.

That made it 11 incidents in one session, with three red flags to boot.

FRIDAY PRACTICE ONE REPORT

Will Davison has won his second practice session in as many days, the 2016 champion surging to the top by 0.199s in a dry practice run and making a statement ahead of the afternoon’s qualifying. He is partnered by older brother Alex for Dick Johnson Racing.

He said: “That’s two sessions down, we’re at the top,” but added: “We don’t look at that too much.”

“It’s really enjoyable. The track’s definitely not as good as it was yesterday.”

Two-time Bathurst runner-up Cameron Waters, who made a couple of minor errors in a tough Thursday practice, stormed through the final sector to move atop the Friday timesheets after 20 minutes with a 2:04.573s. That marker would stand for most of the session, before Waters improved further to 2:04.407s, which would end up good enough for second behind Davison.

Waters agreed track conditions were worse than Thursday, but said: “Our car wasn’t great yesterday ... we learned a bit overnight, and the car’s a lot better today.”

In a late flurry of barnstorming laps, Will Davison emerged atop the charts with a sizzling 2:04.208s in his Shell V-Power Mustang. Davison had topped Thursday morning’s practice with a 2:04.369s, with his consistency placing him as a serious contender for qualifying.

But there was more frustration for 2020 champion Shane van Gisbergen. His co-driver Garth Tander set the standards on Thursday, with Tander’s afternoon time of 2:04.135s the fastest of the day – and faster than any drivers' 2021 practice time.

“It was pretty dicey with the mixed conditions,” van Gisbergen said of his Thursday morning practice session, after slamming into the wall and narrowly avoiding a disastrous crash. He added he was ‘pretty pissed’ at himself for the error.

But van Gisbergen’s frustration continued on Friday, as he failed to ever link up a full hot lap.

Early in the session, he was on track for a forecast 2:04.3s lap until a final-corner brake lock-up ruined his lap. He was frustrated again later in the session with a dominant first sector before finding traffic in the middle third of the lap and forcing him to back off. He attempted another flying lap the following turn round the Mountain, and was again on track for one of the fastest times of the session – only to run wide at The Chase.

“I’m sick of this thing,” he moaned on radio, complaining about braking inconsistencies. His best time was only good enough for 10th.

His team principal, Supercars and Bathurst great Jamie Whincup, is co-driving for young gun Broc Feeney this time around, but showed he’s not lacking in pace after retiring from full-time driving after last season.

Whincup finished third in the Thursday afternoon session, and on Friday he declared he’s “as confident as ever” about his chances of glory come Sunday.

But after Thursday’s practice, he declared the van Gisbergen/Tander drive had the edge, saying: “I don’t think we’re as quick as the other car.”

Tim Slade’s Blanchard Racing Team Mustang also was left stranded in the pits after a problem during a brake change pit-stop. Having only been 14th quickest on Thursday, he responded by surging up to fourth late in the session in an impressive finish.

Fifth was Chaz Mostert, the reigning Bathurst champion, with a best time of 2:04.617s.

Another mechanical issue for Richie Stanaway cost them half an hour on track for the second straight day.

“It’s not ideal,” he said, “We probably need the laps more than anyone.”

YOUNG GUN’S ROLLERCOASTER 24 HOURS AFTER BUGGY OFFENCE

Just days before his 21st birthday, rising star Zak Best has summed up the highs and lows of Bathurst in a bizarre few hours.

On Thursday, Best and his team were both fined $3000 by stewards for a speed limit breach...on a golf buggy. A stewards report stated Best’s buggy was travelling at “excessive speed” during the track walk and with occupants not wearing seatbelts.

Best showed his speed with better result on Friday, surging to pole in the Dunlop Super2 series for Friday’s first race with a 2:05.563s.

Then things took another turn for the worse when Best went too hard through the exit of The Chase and slammed into the wall – while wearing the tyres he would use during the race. His Tickford Racing drive showed plenty of left-side damage.

He also ran wide at The Chase in the top-division Supercars drive in Friday’s first practice session, with Best set to race as co-driver for Tickford’s Thomas Randle in the Bathurst 1000.

RICCIARDO KEEN TO WATCH THE GREAT RACE

The Bathurst 1000 is the pinnacle of Australian motorsport, and even Formula One superstar Daniel Ricciardo has revealed he’ll be tuning in this weekend.

Speaking at an F1 press conference in Japan, he said: “I follow it in terms of I’ll definitely watch it — I’ll watch highlights — and try to track a little bit who’s looking quick and stuff like that … But it is a cool race.

“My folks are actually going out, so they’ll be there. I think it’s their first time, so I’m keen to speak to them over the course of the weekend and hear how the experience is going.

“But it is really cool. As a kid watching it you would put the whole day aside and watch the Bathurst 1000 and it was always an event — fond memories of that race, and hopefully it’s a good one this year.”

FULL SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES AEDT)

FRIDAY

10.10am – 11.10am: Practice 3 (all drivers)

1pm-2pm: Supercars Practice 4 (all drivers)

4.15pm – 4.55pm: Qualifying

SATURDAY

10.20am – 11.20am: Practice 5 (co-drivers)

1pm – 2pm: Supercars Practice 6 (all drivers)

5.05pm: Top-10 Shootout

SUNDAY

8am – 8.20am: Supercars warm-up

8.40am – 9am: Drivers’ Parade

11.15am: Race start (161 laps)

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