Supercars legend Craig Lowndes is backing his many years racing at Mt Panorama to overcome a lack of recent driving experience at Sunday’s Bathurst 1000.
Lowndes and the other co-drivers competing in Sunday’s race are coming in with next to no time behind the wheel due to the restrictions imposed in a COVID-affected season.
The normal pre-Bathurst endurance race at Sandown did not happen in 2020 while most co-drivers last got in the cars they’ll race at Mt Panorama in a pre-season test in February.
Lowndes, a seven-time Bathurst winner, will partner with Red Bull Holden Racing Team’s Jamie Whincup for the second year running at this weekend’s race.
The 46-year-old says while the lack of time behind the wheel isn’t ideal, he’s happy there’ll be enough practice sessions before the race.
“Extra sessions for co-drivers. I think it’s fantastic that we’ve got our own dedicated (sessions) obviously and more dedicated practice sessions to get up to speed,” Lowndes said.
“Garth Tander, myself and a lot of others we will draw off the experience but the rookies and everything else it’ll take time to get their head around it.”
Tander is piloting Red Bull’s other Commodore alongside Shane van Gisbergen.
The three-time Bathurst winner says Thursday’s practice sessions will be his first time behind the wheel of any race car since March.
“Quarantining in Darwin for two weeks, spending a week in Brisbane prior to coming to the track is a very different preparation than I’ve ever had,” Tander said, 20 years after his maiden Bathurst win in 2000.
“But it’s the same for everyone. They’ve had to do various different things at various different times this year be ready to be able to race at any stage.
“You’ve got to roll with the punches, 2020 has proven you have to do that.
“There’s not too many co-drivers that have done any sort of miles this year. Thankfully I’ve done a lap or two around Bathurst so I should be pretty right after three or four laps.”