Red Bull Ampol Racing is hoping that rain continues at the Vailo Adelaide 500, given its uphill battle in winning this year’s Supercars Championships.
The Banyo-based squad is aiming for another title double but Shane van Gisbergen trails Erebus Motorsport’s Brodie Kostecki by 131 points with a total of 300 on offer in this weekend’s two races.
The teams’ championship is a similar, albeit less difficult scenario, with Triple Eight Race Engineering 170 points behind Erebus and a maximum 576 available for each pair of cars.
Practice 1 at the Adelaide Parklands Circuit was wet throughout, with variable rain, and that suits Triple Eight Team Manager Mark Dutton just fine.
“I’m probably one of the few people smiling about the weather,” said Dutton prior to that practice session.
“Usually at a race meeting, you don’t want this type of weather; you don’t want extra variables.
“But yeah, we need it this weekend; we need as many curveballs thrown in, and try and deal with them as best we can, and hope that it mixes it up a little bit.”
Fortunately for Triple Eight, there is a 95 percent chance of rain today, including a possible storm, and a 90 percent chance tomorrow.
He was then sent out on slicks while most were still unwilling to remove their wets, after which point the rain became heavier and put paid to any chance of a faster time for the #97 Camaro.
Dutton rejected suggestions that the call for slicks was a gamble made with the championship battle in mind.
“We were just running to the conditions,” he explained on television, post-session.
“We thought it was about to be dry enough to run slicks. Shane went out there, said he immediately felt a bit of grip, but then he said in a few spots it started sprinkling again.
“So, no hidden messages; just trying to learn as much [as we can] from the session.
“We could well have to do that in the race.”
Kostecki was ninth-quickest in Practice 1.
Practice 2 starts today at 12:35 local time/13:05 AEDT.
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