Mercedes AMG Team GMR topped practice 3 with Maro Engel at the wheel, in a tight Practice 3 where the top six cars were within three tenths of a second.
Maro’s 2:03.8510 was only just faster than Broc Feeney in the #183 Jamec Racing, new gearbox installed, who set a 2:03.8770 in his first spell in an Audi GT3 car.
Third, just over a tenth back, was Laurin Heinrich for Manthey EMA, putting the #91 Pro-Am Porsche into the 2:03’s. The two WRT BMW’s rounded out the top five, with the #46 ahead of the #32, separated by 0.005 of a second.
The session once again ran without significant interruption, with track and ambient temperature significantly warmer than it was this morning.
There was a close call however – late in the session, double-waved yellows were out at Forest Elbow to cover a kangaroo that had gotten on to the circuit. The kangaroo managed to find a gap in the field, and exited the circuit on driver’s right without incident.
As the first ‘hot pit’ session of the weekend, teams up and down the lane took the opportunity to road tyres, practice driver changes, refuelling, and tyre changes, with much of the first half of the session dedicated to those processes.
At one stage, the two WRT BMW’s pit in each other’s box, completing a driver change and tyres only before returning to the circuit.
Heading Silver was the #47 Supabarn Mercedes, while Bronze was topped by the #4 Grove Racing Mercedes – Brenton Grove setting a 2:04.69 to get within a second of the top time.
GT4 was topped by the #19 Team 19 Mercedes, with a 2:15.9970 the top time in that class.
Practice 4, for Bronze drivers only, commences at 4:30pm AEDT, to finish off the day’s running.
