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HomeNewsALONSO, PEREZ REACT TO SUPERCARS LAPS

ALONSO, PEREZ REACT TO SUPERCARS LAPS

FORMULA 1 stars Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez enjoyed laps in Repco Supercars Championship machinery at Albert Park on Thursday evening.

The duo steered Thomas Randle’s Tickford Racing Mustang and Triple Eight’s spare Commodore respectively during a special session following qualifying.

Alonso’s drive of the Tickford car came about through its major sponsor Castrol, which is also a partner of the Alpine F1 Team for which the Spaniard regularly drives.

“It was good fun,” said the two-time world champion of his two brief runs, the first with Randle in the passenger seat and the second with his Alpine F1 engineer alongside.

Alonso drove Randle’s actual race car. Pic: Supplied

“We only know this track in an F1 car, so it changes a little bit, the way you approach some of the corners.

“But it’s what I expected to be honest. I’d say it’s between a GT3 car and a NASCAR that I tested as well.

“It’s heavier and softer on the corners, but then you feel the power, the V8, and the noise is amazing.”

Randle shows Alonso his Ford V8. Pic: Supplied

Alonso’s outing included a minor off-track excursion at Turn 1 as he explored the braking limit.

“It was not easy,” continued Alonso of driving Randle’s race car on a race weekend.

“I know that we take care of our car like it’s a baby and to have someone else driving the car is a lot of pressure.

“I tried to behave, I tried to take care of the car and I think he was happy.”

Perez with Red Bull Ampol Racing’s Broc Feeney. Pic: Supplied

Perez meanwhile had the Red Bull Ampol Racing Commodore to himself and enjoyed the experience

“I was surprised by the amount of rolling the car has just on the straights,” he said when asked for his first impressions.

“It was rolling quite a bit, so I was getting used to that sensation and the braking was the biggest challenge out there.

“The braking efficiency, cornering, the corner speed is quite different. But also, it’s very good fun the amount of kerb you are able to take.

Perez chats with Feeney. Pic: Supplied

“In Formula 1 you are very limited with that and here you pretty much are able to use the whole track.

“It’s quite tricky. It was quite an experience. It was really good fun.”

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