Saturday’s qualifying session left the team feeling underprepared. Limited laps in Friday’s practice and overnight changes to both cars resulted in minimal time to optimise the setup. Consequently, both Brodie and Jack struggled with niggles and lack of pace, finishing in P18 and P20, respectively.
As the night race began, Jack had a stronger start than Brodie, advancing to P16, while Brodie secured P17 by the end of the first lap. By lap 4, they had moved up to 15th and 16th positions.
Brodie reported a flat spot on one of his tyres, prompting an early pit stop on lap 13. He rejoined in P22 but quickly advanced to 19th by lap 16, while Jack was in P12.
Jack made his first pit stop on lap 20 from P3, but contact with Heimgartner during his exit led to a 15-second penalty for an unsafe release.
With 23 laps remaining, Brodie, now in P6, strategically allowed Waters to pass to avoid losing time, anticipating a pit stop on lap 31 due to deteriorating tires. He rejoined in P20, with Jack in P5 but facing his penalty.
Jack served his penalty with 16 laps to go, rejoining in P22.
With 8 laps remaining, Brodie was in P10, and Jack overtook Reynolds to claim P18. As the race wound down however, Jack reported smoke and with just 4 laps to go the engine failed, ending his Saturday.
Despite the setback and another engine change for the team, Brodie managed to secure a 10th place finish, a commendable result given grid position.
With set up changes planned overnight and the engine issues hopefully resolved, we’re determined to make Sunday our day.