MICHAEL Fabri may not have got in a flying lap before Friday morning’s Toyota 86 qualifying session was red flagged at Mount Panorama, but he still wore a grin on his face.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 19-year-old Brisbane native was simply enjoying the chance to compete at the iconic race track as part of the Bathurst 1000 support card.
“It is the first time I have been here. I have watched it on television and on YouTube, but you don’t really get the same feel as being out on the track. Just the elevation changes – it’s an unreal place – you feel like you are walking up a ton of stairs,” he said.
“Its an amazing atmosphere to be here with the V8s and everybody else, it is really cool.”
Early morning fog had forced the cancellation of the Touring Car Masters qualifying session and while the Toyota 86 competitors did get out on the track, their time was short.
Haydn Clark lost control across the top of the Mount on his second lap, hit the right wall near the exit of Skyline and spun his Toyota 86. It saw the session red flagged.
William Brown topped the time sheet with a qualifying lap record of 2:39.9755, while Bathurst’s Dylan Gulson was close behind in second with a 2:40.4707 as he continues to impress. On Thursday he was third quickest in practice.
Fabri did not get in a flying qualifier.
“I was coming up Conrod Straight and just before we came into The Chase they pulled out the red flag, which was a bit disappointing, but I suppose that’s motor sport. With the data we got it looked like we were picking up some time there, so that’s a bit frustrating,” he said.
