Whincup, Ibrahim crash both Triple Eight cars in GTWC Australia qualifying

Triple Eight Race Engineering drivers Jamie Whincup and Prince Jefri Ibrahim both crashed out of qualifying for Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS at the Valo Adelaide 500.

After setting an early benchmark of 1:27.2745s in Qualifying 1, Ibrahim went into the wall at Turn 14 in the #888 Mercedes AMG GT3 he is sharing with Nick Foster.

Following the crash, Ibrahim was able to get out of the vehicle and was seen walking to the medical car.

Driving the sister #88 Mercedes-AMG GT3, a spare chassis following Ibrahim’s crash at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International last month, Whincup went into the wall at the Senna Chicane complex in Qualifying 2 after setting a 1:18.6863s.

He was able to walk to the medical car unassisted.

Both incidents resulted in each respective session being red-flagged.

Liam Talbot set a 1:21.4172s to qualify on pole for Race 1 in the #20 Audi R8 LMS Evo he is sharing with Fraser Ross, while Kelvin van der Linde was on top in Qualifying 2 with a 1:17.6425s in the #24 Audi R8 LMS Evo he is sharing with Tony Bates to grab pole position for Race 2.

Talbot edged out Yasser Shahin in the #1 Audi R8 LMS Evo he is sharing with Christopher Mies for pole in Qualifying 1, while Bates was third-fastest in the #24 Audi.

Ross Poulakis was the fastest of the Am Class competitors in fourth, with GT Trophy Series competitor Sergio Pires fifth in the #55 Audi R8 LMS Evo he is sharing with Brad Schumacher.

Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim was classified sixth in the #88 Mercedes-AMG GT3, while Mike Bailey, James Koundouris, Mike Sheargold, and Marc Cini completed the top 10.

In GT4, Mark Griffith was on top in the #19 Mercedes-AMG GT4 he is sharing with Paul Morris.

In Qualifying 2, van der Linde bested Mies for pole, with Ross in third.

Whincup was fourth-fastest, despite not completing the session, ahead of Brett Hobson in fifth, while Garth Walden was the fastest of the Am Class competitors in sixth.

Poulakis, Cini, and Theo Koundouris, finished seventh, eighth, and ninth respectively, while Matthew Belford was the fastest of the GT Trophy Class in completing the top 10.

In GT4, Sam Brabham qualified ahead of Paul Morris.

GTWC Australia will next take to the track for Race 1 at 14:05 local time/14:35 AEDT.