Aussies take pole position in BWSC

It may not draw the crowds of the Great Race at Mount Panorama, but the 2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is off to a brilliant start with the Australian-based Team Arrow snagging pole position on debut.

Qualifying for the global event -- which sees 40 teams from 23 countries vying to be first across the finish line 3000km away in Adelaide -- took place at Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex in Darwin, and the Aussie-built Arrow 1 car posted a 2:00.10 lap time, the fastest car in the premier 'Challenger' class and fastest outright.

Cameron Tuesley, Team Arrow Manager, told motoring.com.au he couldn't be happier with the result.

"The amazing thing for us is that we started this group 12 months ago from scratch with no money, and we're chuffed, it's an amazing result," he said.

Second fastest outright was Dutch outfit Solar Team Eindhoven's Stella solar car (Cruiser class) with a time of 2:05.01. Stella is also the world's first four-seater 'family' car.

The third fastest time was set by the oddly-named Practice car (Challenger class), of Japan-based Kogakuin University Solar Vehicle Project, with 2:06.89. The Kogakuin Uni crew is the only team using Bridgestone's prototype Ecopia 'ologic' tyres, specially fabricated for the event to reduce rolling resistance and mounted to carbon-fibre rims.

Other teams who qualified well included Challenger class competitors such as US-based Stanford University's Luminos car (2:07.78) and Dutch-based Solar Team Twente's The RED Engine car (2:10.17).

As the Australian crew celebrated qualifying success, defending champions Tokai University of Japan had a tough slog in qualifying. The Tokai Challenger car spun out - twice - on the final corner, costing it precious time. Having won the biennial event in 2009 and 2011, Tokai's time of 2:46.71 was not the start the team wanted.

Nevertheless, the day was all about the underdog Australian team which defied the odds and pulled off a shock to go fastest in qualifying.

Team boss Tuesley put the qualifying upset into perspective: "This is our first year as a team, it's a new thing for us. We've built this car on a budget about the 10th that of the leading teams, we've got a 20-year-old motor driving it, so we're pleased with the result."

Tuesley said he wouldn't get carried away with the team's early success, as the 3000km race is a test of efficiency and endurance, not just speed. He said realistically a mid-pack finish would be a good result for the team, in a race where top teams often fail to cross the finish line in Adelaide.

"[Arrow 1] is a strong vehicle. It was designed with an Australian engineering mindset, it's tough structurally.

"Are we confident of getting to Adelaide? It's a huge challenge," Tuesley said.

The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge race kicks off on Sunday October 6 from Darwin and motoring.com.au will be providing daily wraps of the racing from Monday morning on this website, data connections permitting. We'll also have live images and updates via Instagram (motoringcomau) and Twitter (@motoringcomau).

Can the Aussie's continue their solid form on debut against world-class opposition? Stay tuned.