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Practice report

Star names show good pace in Brazil Stock Cars

Eclectic mix of top racers join regular field at Goiânia – including Prost, Piquet, Villeneuve, Vanthoor and Winterbottom

#77 Shell Racing Chevrolet: Valdeno Brito, Laurens Vanthoor

#77 Shell Racing Chevrolet: Valdeno Brito, Laurens Vanthoor

Duda Bairros

Jacques Villeneuve
Nelson Piquet Jr.
Ricardo Zonta
Lucas di Grassi and Thiago Camilo
#80 Voxx Racing Team Peugeot: Marcos Gomes, Mark Winterbottom

Some of the world’s top drivers have joined the Brazil Stock Car field this weekend at Goiânia, and began to strut their stuff in the opening free practice sessions.

Ex-F1 racer and current Formula E ace Nelson Piquet Jr (who is co-driving with Átila Abreu) was fastest in FP1, followed closely by GT star Laurens Vanthoor (co-driving Valdeno Brito). In the afternoon, V8 Supercar frontrunner Mark Winterbottom was the top star name, ahead of Lucas di Grassi – whose Formula E title rival Nicolas Prost was 14th overall.

"It was a great session and we could have even finished in P1, but we had a little issue in the end of the practice,” said Vanthoor. “I’m glad I could start in a good way my debut with the team, since it’s the first time I’m driving a Stock Car, while other guests already had the chance to race in 2014."

Winterbottom added: "It’s going well. (The car) has a lot more grip than I’m used to. There’s a big difference between the Brazilian V8 and the V8 Supercars: we’ve got a lot more power, but they have a lot more grip, and it’s different to drive because the car has got a lot more aero, so it carries more speed mid-corner.”

Jacques Villeneuve, who will share with fellow former BAR F1 racer Ricardo Zonta, hit trouble.

"We are not competitive yet as we’d like, mainly because we’ve lost the whole session yesterday,” he said. “We hope to regain some time with a good practice right before going to qually.”

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