Fractions of a second covered the front runners where 0.37s covered the top 10. RAM Motorsport’s O’Keeffe, who won in the top end in 2018, put down a 1m06.8686 late in the second practice session.

With the ambient temperature of 31 degrees and the track more than 45, he was just 0.03s faster last round winner TekworkX Motorsport’s David Russell who set his best time in the first session.

In SP Tools Pro-Am, Team MPC’s Matt Belford topped Practice 1 before current title leader Earl Bamber Motorsport’s Adrian Flack went quicker in the second session on top of the class 15th overall, 0.08s of the O’Keeffe’s time.

Third fastest for Porsche Centre Melbourne Motorsport was Harri Jones, ahead David Wall in his return to the championship after he sat out the first two rounds.

After the Wall Racing driver were McElrea Racing’s Jackson Walls and Bayley Hall, both set their quickest times in the second 30min sessions. Then followed Marco Giltrap, Dale Wood, Marcos Flack and Glen Wood completed the top 10.

Next was Angelo Mouzouris ahead of Fabian Coulthard, Nash Morris and Tom McLennan. Flack split the Pros as he was faster than Ryder Quinn and Harrison Goodman.

Behind 18th placed Belford Rodney and Pro Lockie Bloxsom, was Rodney Jane third in Pro-Am, ahead of Matt Slavin and Marc Cini.

The majority of the field ran new tyres as they prepared for qualifying which is a new format this year. The drivers’ two best competitive lap times set the grid for the first two races of the weekend.

Qualifying is at 10:25am local time on Saturday for the TAG Heuer Pole award, followed by Race 1 at 1:55pm. Both sessions will be shown live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports, with Race 1 also on Channel 7.