Whincup leads Abu Dhabi practice

Jamie Whincup has come out on top of the first day of practice for the 2011 V8 Supercars Championship at Abu Dhabi.

Whincup topped the timesheets in his Triple Eight Holden Commodore ahead of an impressive run from young driver Tim Slade in the Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon, just two tenths down.

Triple Eight team-mate Craig Lowndes was third fastest, with SBR’s Shane van Gisbergen fourth.

Michael Caruso in the Garry Rogers Motorsport Commodore rounded out the top five, all covered by less than five hundredths of a second.

Reigning champion James Courtney was quick to find his feet in his new ride at the Holden Racing Team, setting the eighth fastest time and top of the drivers who have changed team’s in the off season.

The qualifying session and first race of the 2011 championship takes place on Friday at the Yas Marina circuit.