An S5000 has lapped Mount Panorama at speed for the first time with Braydan Willmington completing a demonstration at the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour.
Willmington, a regular in the VHT S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship, notched up five laps of the circuit ahead of what the category is referring to as an “anticipated racing debut” at November’s Bathurst International.
The 10-minute sessions, one today and another tomorrow, are “designed to give S5000 category management feedback on the vehicle set-up and gather data on the challenging 6.213km circuit,” reads a release from S5000.
For Willmington, they are also his first laps of Mount Panorama.
“That was unreal, I know why dad raves on about this place so much,” said the son of 21-time Bathurst 1000 starter Garry.
“My first laps around here, in this car were incredible… just incredible.”
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The S5000 was sent out without any circuit-specific changes, with Willmington tasked with gathering information rather than going for an out-and-out lap time.
“The laps were great and we had no issues at all,” he reported.
“The front wing I don’t think scraped anywhere. It’s a bit bumpy out there, but so was Sandown [last round] so that’s nothing new for these cars.
“It hit one time on the underneath of my seat going up Mountain Straight, but nowhere else.
“The car felt awesome and really good under brakes. I’m not pushing too hard yet, just taking it easy and working my way up to it.”
The last time a Gold Star race was held at Mount Panorama was in 2014, as part of the Australian Formula 3 Championship.
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