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Qualifying report

Perth Supercars: Coulthard leads Penske front row lockout

Fabian Coulthard and Scott McLaughlin dominated qualifying for Race 1 in Perth, the DJR Team Penske pair more than three tenths clear of the rest of the field.

Fabian Coulthard, Team Penske Ford

Fabian Coulthard, Team Penske Ford

Daniel Kalisz / Motorsport Images

Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske Ford
Shane van Gisbergen, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden
Mark Winterbottom, Prodrive Racing Australia Ford
Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske Ford
Shane van Gisbergen, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden

Coulthard will start today’s first race from pole position, setting a lap record 54.666s on his second run. Teammate Scott McLaughlin was hot on his heels, ending up just 0.03s behind having set his best on the same run in the middle of session, but it was a whopping three tenths back to the rest of the field.

“It’s fantastic,” said Coulthard. “The guys have given both Scotty and I another quick car. It’s a pleasure to drive.”

Jamie Whincup was best of the rest, but couldn’t quite dip into the 54s. His teammate Shane van Gisbergen was fourth fastest, but only after a huge moment at the last corner.

Midway through the session the Kiwi arrived at Turn 7 on a qualifying lap only to find a number of cars, including Simona de Silvestro and Michael Caruso, on warm-up laps. He had to take to the grass to avoid the back of Caruso’s Nissan, skiing through the sand and out the other side.

That meant he was 25th up until the final run, chiming in with a 55.052s on his third and final run to make it an all-Red Bull Holden second row.

“I don’t know, everyone was just starting their laps,” explained van Gisbergen. “It happens here, it’s all good. I think everyone wants half the straight gap, but you can’t do that here. You’ve got to start your lap close to the next car. It was pretty wild.”

Triple Eight team manager Mark Dutton was less calm regarding the slow traffic, calling for the Nissans to be wiped out from qualifying.

“It’s not standard blocking, it was actually very, very dangerous,” said Dutton.

“There’s a recommended go point, which they’ve totally ignored. It’s quite stupid. It shouldn’t be a couple of grid positions they’re penalised, they should be disqualified from qualifying. It’s that big a deal. There were almost cars written off there.”

The lockouts continued behind the Red Bulls with Chaz Mostert and Mark Winterbottom blanketing the third row in their Prodrive Fords, while Will Davison and Lee Holdsworth were next in line.

Craig Lowndes and Todd Kelly rounded out the Top 10, while de Silvestro brushed off the close call with van Gisbergen and grabbed an impressive 14th spot.

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