Youngster upstages McLaughlin and the Mustang in Adelaide

Anton de Pasquale

Highly regarded Penrite Racing youngster Anton de Pasquale has outshone the return of the Ford Mustang to Supercars by clocking the fastest time in the opening session of 2019 at the Superloop Adelaide 500.

De Pasquale is considered to have the potential to join the top of the field sooner rather than later having already shown his potential through his rookie season last year.

He flew the flag for Holden ahead of two of the new Mustangs of Lee Holdsworth, in his first drive for Tickford Racing, and Fabian Coulthard in the Shell V-Power Ford.

It was a great start for the team with De Pasquale’s team-mate and Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 winner David Reynolds in fourth for the day.

“It’s good to start the year on a high and I think it’s the first time I have topped a session. It’s good for the boys and girls to give us confidence going into the season," De Pasquale said.

“It’s only early days, the first session of the year but good to start on a high."

Scott McLaughlin’s long-awaited debut in his Shell V-Power Mustang was short-lived following a failure after just eight laps when he lost oil pressure and then power steering, leaving him stranded on the side of the circuit.

He had been on top of the timesheets at one stage as the lead changed hands several times before another red flag sparked by Boost Mobile Racing’s James Golding who crashed into and got stuck in a tire barrier.

“It was a bit like my first year in 2013. It’s all a bit new. Our car felt really good, we were on a race run there and having a fun time but had a little problem engine wise," McLaughlin said.

“It was a good start for everyone. Overall I am stoked, we just have to work on it overnight."

Anton de Pasquale

Mark Winterbottom, in his first appearance in a Holden for IRWIN Racing, leapt up the sheets late in the session to finish fifth for the day ahead of Cameron Waters who earlier had nudged the concrete barrier at the notorious turn eight for the first of three red flag stoppages.

Another Mustang driven by Chaz Mostert was eighth with Shane van Gisbergen next.

A scorching day meant the first session began in 36-degree heat, adding to the intrigue of the first session of 2019, along with the first time Supercars have appeared on a Thursday in Adelaide.

The Mustang made its return to Supercars after more than 30 years since the last time at Phillip Island in 1990. It was also a flashback to Dick Johnson winning the Adelaide race in 1995.

It took just four minutes before the first Mustang made the highlight reel, but not for the right reason. Youngster Waters nudged the wall turn eight wall, the same place he had a massive race crash last year, leaving debris on the track and a stoppage to the session.

Five of the Mustangs finished inside that top 10, with McLaughlin winding up 12th in the order, one spot ahead of Jamie Whincup.

Garry Jacobson was the best of the rookies in 20th, with Macaulay Jones 22nd.

Practice 2 at the Superloop Adelaide 500 starts at 11:40am local time on Friday.

The first race of the year will be a 250km slog in what is expected to be hot conditions on Saturday afternoon with a second 250km race on Sunday.

Practice 1 Results