Australian Grand Prix - Wrap Up

[Blue Thunder 2]

Hi All,

The Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park has netted some excellent results for DJR / Wilson Security Racing. Run over four sprint races, the two FG Falcons continued to improve with Sunday’s final race netting another Top 15 position for Tim Blanchard.

Good results for DJR ahead of the Tasmania Challenge Symmons Plains, Tasmania. Great to see the DJR boys in the mix and continuing to improve with each race. Best of luck in Tassie DJR the XR6 & XR8 Club of Qld is right behind you.

DJR records strong finish at Australian Grand Prix

The Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park has netted some excellent results for DJR / Wilson Security Racing. Run over four sprint races, the two FG Falcons continued to improve with today’s final race netting another Top 15 position for Tim Blanchard. The race did not come without some anxious moments for Blanchard and team mate Jonny Reid however. The action started at Turn 1 with Rick Kelly spinning Russell Ingall and Tim having to go straight to the grass to avoid the mess. Team mate Jonny Reid was also on the grass and into the back Tim, thankfully with little damage to either.

Pit stops were back as it was a ‘dry’ race and again Tim went early. Rejoining in 21st he set about a strong climb up the field with the car working well on the Dunlop Sprint Tyre. Jonny pitted a lap later and exited the long pit row just in front of Tim. Once again the two Wilson Security cars were very close but a big lock up into Turn 1 for Jonny saw Tim slip through and with his tyres up to temp, pull away.

The race continued with Blanchard shadowing Rick Kelly and running up into P14, interestingly putting in a faster lap time than five of the cars that finished in front him. Once again the DJR cars were showing competitive race speed. Jonny was suffering from the brake lock up giving a major flat spot on the front left tyre, but also pushed on very well to finish in 18th place.
Overall the Wilson Security Team has come away with good results from the AGP, with Tim finishing in 13th overall and Jonny in 19th.

The next round of the V8 Supercars Championship takes place in Tasmania on April 6 & 7.

Car #12 - Jonny Reid Quote after Race 4

“We have made some genuine leaps forward this weekend; the only real downside to my race today was locking the wheel after the pit stop. The lap times were quicker today even with the nasty flat spot. I was hanging on and nursing it until the end.
All in all the car felt really good and I think we now have some clear direction on set up and where we can improve it. This weekend has set a good base line for us and we are definitely heading in the right direction”

Car #17 Tim Blanchard Quote after Race 4

“This race was a very good end to the weekend. We had good race pace and it shows we are improving the car. Every race we are edging closer to the leaders times. We are learning a lot and getting to grips with the car. In Race 4 we were running in the mid field, and running there on genuine pace, so we have got a more to work with from here. We should be able to continue the form in Tasmania and of course the rest of the season.”

Wet and wild Albert Park Grand Prix track greets DJR duo in Race 3

DJR / Wilson Security Racing lined up for Race 3 in the MSS Security V8 Supercars Challenge at Albert Park heading largely into the unknown with wet and windy conditions sweeping the track. The two DJR cars had not run in the rain in any outing so far in 2013 so both drivers adopted a set up that would hopefully let the wet Dunlop tyres live throughout the 12 lap race.
Pit Stops for this wet race would only come into play if the track dried and Dunlop slicks were called for. As the race unfolded it became clear that the track would remain wet and in fact get wetter. After the first few furious laps, Tim Blanchard was up to P17 and Jonny Reid was also making good progress in P21. Both drivers were in big battles – Blanchard dicing with current V8 Supercars Champion Jamie Whincup and Mark Winterbottom, and Jonny chasing down Lee Holdsworth.

The track began to dry mid race and Reid appeared to be struggling more than Blanchard with the wet weather tyre. The nature of the Albert Park road track meant that painted white and indeed black lines on the road were like ice as the V8 Supercars squirmed and slid at many points around the track.

The rain returned and Blanchard settled into 19th having lost places to Alex Davison and Winterbottom. Reid too kept Wall at bay but could not hold out a recovering D’Alberto and finished 22nd.

The final race for the DJR / Wilson Security Racing Team will be held on Sunday prior to the Australian Grand Prix.

Car #12 - Jonny Reid Quote after Races 1 & 2

“There were a number of cars spearing off in front of me in a very interesting race. We had the car set slightly more for the dry and paid the price with it being a bit stiff. The painted white lines and more so the black paint on the track made it very tricky. When it really starts to rain and you can’t see anything but the brake lights in front of you; you actually can’t see the black paint and if your car is not 100% it can catch you out easily. I am looking forward to testing some new set up direction on the car in tomorrow’s race and move forward as far as we can.”

Car #17 Tim Blanchard Quote after Races 1 & 2

“It was definitely a wild race in the wet! Our pace early in the race was pretty good and dicing with Whincup and Winterbottom was very enjoyable. Once it started to dry out mid race, it didn’t really work for the set up we had on the Wilson Security Falcon, but it started to come back to us as the rain came back towards the end of the race. A little bit of too little too late, I guess. I’m a lot more comfortable racing against these guys now and no doubt the car is getting better each time we take to the track.”

AGP Results - Race 1 & 2

15-Mar-2013

The Wilson Security Racing ‘twin’ Falcons of Tim Blanchard and Jonny Reid continued their march up the 28 car field today in the first two of four races scheduled at the Australian Grand Prix. Race 1 began well for both drivers but Reid’s mid race tangle with rookie Scott Pye thwarted his chances of a good result.

Tim Blanchard however moved steadily through the field battling with the likes of Russell Ingall and Jono Webb to record a fine 15th equalling his Clipsal 500 Sunday finishing position.

Race 2 saw the cars start in the position they had finished in, but with a penalty applied Mark Winterbottom, Tim lined up in a 14th and Jonny in 24th. The second 12 lapper saw Blanchard get another great start and with some cars peeling off for their pit stop, he crossed the line in 11th place at the end of Lap 1. Reid too was on the move and opted to run a little longer before his stop. The mid race battle for both driver was intense. Blanchard was in a ‘train’ of cars including Ingall, Moffat, Alex Davison and Holdsworth. Running as high as 19th after his pit stop he was passed by Holdsworth’s Mercedes and Fiore’s Commodore as the laps ran down. Tyre life was the key issue for Blanchard dropping back a few spots.

The other Wilson Security Falcon of Jonny Reid was closing in on Maro Engel and passed him on Lap 8. With better car speed he closed right up onto David Wall and Scott Pye but the chequered flag beat him. Blanchard crossed the line in 20th and Reid in 23rd. The overall points after the first two races sees Blanchard in 15th and Reid in 24th with two races to run.

Jonny Reid Quote after Races 1 & 2

“In Race 2, I was a lot happier with my car given the state of the tyres that we used. Tomorrow I’m sure we will have a better car again beneath us with fresher tyres. I am really keen to see a time gain more than anything. Positions will come if we keep getting those lap times down. Running in traffic is washing a bit of the front aero away and you have to be very careful off line as the F1 cars are putting a lot of marbles down. The improvement in the Wilson Security Falcon should make later braking possible and get me on the attack”

Tim Blanchard Quote after Races 1 & 2

“After Qualifying we decided to again make some big changes and the improvement was evident in this morning’s race. We moved though the field and had some good pace. We went backwards a little in Race 2, as the tyres seemed to go off quicker than this morning. Overall though to be running in the Top 20 on car speed is pleasing.”


V8 Supercars – Drivers Championship Table

1 Craig Lowndes 279
2 Jamie Whincup 267
3 Will Davison (FORD) 240
4 Russell Ingall 198
5 James Courtney 192
6 Scott McLaughlin 186
7 Jonathon Webb 168
8 Tony D’Alberto 159
9 Shane Van Gisbergen 150
10 Scott Pye 138
11 Rick Kelly 135
12 James Moffat 129
13 Alexandre Premat 120
14 David Wall 114
15 Mark Winterbottom (FORD) 111
16 Dean Fiore 111
17 Tim Blanchard (FORD) 111
18 Lee Holdsworth 108
19 Garth Tander 96
20 Alex Davison (FORD) 84
21 Tim Slade 60
22 Fabian Coulthard 48
23 David Reynolds (FORD) 45
24 Jason Bright 39
25 Michael Caruso 36
26 Maro Engel 33
27 Jonny Reid (FORD) 0
28 Todd Kelly 0