We’ve headed west. 3,641 kilometres west to be accurate, landing at Barbagallo Raceway in Perth for round 4 of the 2017 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.
After a tough Phillip Island, it will be great to get back on track and focus on what’s in front of us.
While a few things didn’t fall our way, especially with JC and the safety cars at the Island, the car speed in the second race wasn’t far off. Now we need to build from that.
There have been some changes made by the engineers between rounds, which we are hopeful will make a difference when the cars roll out of the truck on Friday morning.
This weekend see’s two races. The first, a 120 kilometre race on Saturday, followed by a 200 kilometre race on Sunday.
It’s a tricky little track, Barbagallo. You have to get the car to flow through the twists and turns in the first half of the lap, but also need a strong brake package and stability so that it pulls up down the bottom of the hill.
Getting that part of the lap right is crucial, as it sets up your run down the front straight.
Being a SuperSprint round, we will be on the new super soft tyre. As that compound has never been used around here before, that will throw an unknown into the mix.
As a team, we were disappointed with the last two rounds. It’s time to turn those fortunes around.
From the cockpit
James Courtney
“The last two rounds haven’t been ideal for us, with the crash in Tasmania and then the issues in Phillip Island, but it’s not as doom and gloom as it may look.
“Perth’s a very different track to the Island. It requires a lot of commitment, and a car that is stable with good drive.
“As a team, we are all working very hard to improve. Everyone has a part to plan, and everyone is firmly focused on getting the job done.
Scott Pye
“I can’t wait to get out there this weekend, and to get back to the job at hand.
“While the last two rounds have been tough, everyone is putting in 100 per cent to improve. That’s what makes me confident.
“I like driving here. It’s a fun, physical track. It’s really important we roll out of the truck strong, but then build from that as the weekend progresses.”