The V8 test at Queensland Raceway went well for the Guest/International drivers Wednesday, many who were getting tutorials from their co-drivers – the regular V8 drivers. It wasn’t easy to determine which driver turned the fastest time in all cases, but according to the monitor, many of the top drivers were the guests.
The track, in a remote area, has three configurations, one of which is always used by the V8’s. It is the 1.94 mile-3.12 km clock-wise circuit. Some people have dubbed it a boring track, with the only excitement is finding where the bumps are this year. The track diagram drawn for me made it look like a big, fat letter C.
Overall the No.88 Team Vodafone Holden with JAMIE WHINCUP and SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS of France was top with a time of 1:10.4415. It was turned on their 38th lap of the 115 they ran.
The local reporter said HELIO CASTRONEVES/No.47 Lucky 7 Racing Ford was the fastest International driver, in fourth place.
Running the most laps was the No.17 Jim Beam Racing Ford turned the most laps – 132, with drivers STEVEN JOHNSON and DIRK MUELLER of Germany.
The No.55 Bottle-O Racing Team Ford with PAUL DUMBRELL and CHRISTIAN KLIEN of Austria turned the fewest laps – 75.
Some teams turned lap after lap, while others practiced one lap at a time, doing pit stops and driver changes. There was tinkering by the mechanics, and some on-going measuring for new seat inserts, or adjustments to existing equipment.
It was all low key, most everyone was well-behaved with few missteps, and there were no weather issues, unlike last year’s test with the rain.
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I was told by several teams that they all were running on whatever tires could be found around the shop. The tire allocation, seven or eight sets of Softs, was saved for the three race weekend.
When it was time, the teams all quickly and efficiently packed up and convoyed down the road back to the Gold Coast. The V8 transporters are articulated, which makes then look longer than they look. One driver, JASON BRIGHT/No.8 Team BOC Holden, said the Aussie V8 trailers, which are called doubles, are 48 feet long, while the single unit transporters favored by American teams are 53 feet long.
