Swede Mattias Ekstrom showed on Thursday that the Xbox One wildcard can be a competitive force in this weekend’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.
The two-time DTM champion, who is partnered with Briton Andy Priaulx in the Triple Eight run entry, described Bathurst as the most demanding circuit he has ever encountered after cutting his first laps in practice.
Despite the extent of the challenge, Ekstrom made the most of a strong pre-marked tyre bank to record the seventh fastest time in the co-driver practice session.
The 35-year-old is no stranger to learning new cars and circuits after competing in sportscar and NASCAR races, but admitted he was stunned at the physical and mental demand the 6.2km circuit requires.
“It’s a great experience to drive Mount Panorama circuit although after 10 laps I was mentally used because its not very forgiving place,” he told Speedcafe.com.
“After I had a rest and some food I felt much more calm and the pace was ok.
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“I would say this is the biggest task of my career. I can say now after doing some laps that this circuit is the most difficult to learn.
“Practice is so limited, the cars are really powerful and the track is so demanding.
“There is no downforce with the car and this is what I am used to so I definitely need to get my head around it.”
Ekstrom is one of four internationals making their Bathurst 1000 debut this weekend alongside Erebus full-timer Maro Engel and Tekno Autosports imports Marc Lieb and Jeroen Bleekemolen.
Engel echoed Ekstrom’s thoughts on the difficulty of getting up to speed at Bathurst.
The 28-year-old German, partnered by Steven Johnson, ended the afternoon’s final session down in 27th.
“Mount Panorama is unlike anything else,” he said, having first seen the circuit as a spectator at February’s Bathurst 12 Hour.
“It combines a lot of great race tracks of the world into one. The drop down from Skyline to Forrest’s Elbow is definitely unique and there certainly isn’t a section like this anywhere else in the world.
“It’s like racing in a concrete tunnel but its great fun and a huge challenge. I don’t think I should explain to drivers back in Europe they should just come out here and race it for themselves.
“I’m feeling a little bit more confident and assured around here now (after practice).
“I feel the car is handling very well and we ran the all of the sessions on old tyres, so I’m sure there is still a lot for me to take in and improve. It’s quite promising.”
While Bleekemolen has previous experience of the circuit in the Carrera Cup and Bathurst 12 Hour, team-mate Lieb joined Ekstrom and Engel in arriving green.
“Compared to Sandown, it was a lot easier for me to learn the track,” he noted, despite being just 26th in practice.
“At Sandown I was learning the car and the track, and here I’m just able to learn the track.
“I’m still overdriving the car a little bit in the slow corners, but I’m already quite confident in the fast corners, so it’s good.
“We still have some issues to sort out with the set-up, we’re still not happy, and Jonathon isn’t very happy, but I’m sure that team and the engineers will work it out.”
