Canadian Jacques Villeneuve finished at the wrong end of the time sheets in preparation for his second solo V8 Supercar drive but he is confident of staging a competitive attack in the Coates Hire Ipswich 300.
Villeneuve remained convinced he can launch himself up the order following the practice sessions at the paperclip track where he finished 26th today, the slowest of the cars to take part in the final session in 1:11.48s.
The 1995 Indy 500 winner and 1997 F1 world champion remains a genuine chance of making big gains in qualifying tomorrow in the Holden prepared from the Kelly Racing operation.
Villeneuve was within range of the second slowest of the practice runners Taz Douglas (1:11.34.05s) while Ford Performance Racing spearhead Mark Winterbottom clocked the third slowest time after suffering from a low bank of decent tyres.
“The car felt better than Townsville but it’s also because I’m more used to it,” a positive Villeneuve told Speedcafe.com.
“The difference is here there is more room for error so I can figure out where the limit is compared to the track in Townsville.”
“At least I’m not last by a long way. In Townsville not only was I last but I was last by quite a bit behind.”
Villeneuve admits that he faces a difficult assignment in trying to work his way up the field in the #51 Pepsi Max Commodore he is deputising in for the injured Kiwi Greg Murphy.
“The next step will be tough and I realise that but I’m close and it’s all looking positive.”
“I’ve driven here a bit in the past but the bumps are still there.”
“I don’t think the bumps have changed that much. It seems like it is just asphalt over the existing asphalt so there’s no reason for the bumps to have gone away.”
“There is more grip but it just means you hit the bumps faster.”
See below for Speedcafe.com’s Coates Hire 300 Race Guide
