Photo: V8 Supercars Media

Jamie Whincup sets new Bathurst lap record ahead of qualifying

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The 2:05 barrier has been breached at Mount Panorama ahead of qualifying, and was set by six-time champion Jamie Whincup in the final seconds of the fifth practice session, depriving DJR Team Penske’s Scott Pye of the glory of being the fastest man around Bathurst.

The final 45-minute practice session ahead of this afternoon’s key qualifying session saw Brad Jones Racing’s Fabian Coulthard, yesterday’s pace setter, set the early benchmark, but Scott Pye then moved into the low 2:06s in his Ford Falcon before 15 minutes were up to lead the first third of the session.

David Reynolds then put the Rod Nash Racing Ford Falcon FG X, setting a time of 2:06.1122, before he was knocked to second by Shane van Gisbergen’s Tekno Autosports Holden with a time just 0.0011 faster.

Pye then broke the lap record around the circuit with just under ten minutes to go, hurling his Ford Falcon FG X around the circuit with a time of 2:05.2436, faster than the pole position lap of Fabian Coulthard from last year.

Coulthard was on a run that looked set to beat it, but lost time in the middle sector and would only end up fifth fastest.

Almost quietly, it was the Triple Eight Holden of Jamie Whincup that produced the first sub-2:05 lap around Mount Panorama. The reigning champion, who has been no faster than 12th so far this weekend, produced a stunning lap of 2:04.9097, almost assuring that the pole position lap will be into the 2:04s later today.

Pye had to settle for second, while Brad Jones Racing’s Jason Bright put in a late charge to go third fastest, six-tenths of a second behind Whincup’s time, with Prodrive Racing Australia’s Mark Winterbottom fourth and Fabian Coulthard fifth.

Michael Caruso was the fastest Nissan in ninth ahead of Scott McLaughlin, the best placed of the Volvos in 11th. Will Davison was the faster of the two Mercedes-Benz drivers in 12th, while Whincup’s Triple Eight team-mate Craig Lowndes was 13th and last year’s Bathurst winner Chaz Mostert was in a deceptive 18th in his Ford Falcon FG X.

Qualifying takes place at 15:50 AEST, with the top ten going through into tomorrow’s top ten shootout.