MOTORSPORT: Ford on top in Perth Supercars

After four rounds in season 2024, Ford drivers have finally stood on the top step of the Repco Supercars Championship podium, with Chaz Mostert and Cam Waters victorious from the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint at Wanneroo on the weekend.

Elsewhere, Will Brown consolidated his championship lead with finishes of second and a third, as several big hitters suffered mediocre weekends.

For Mostert, the Saturday success was a major bounce-back after early season promise went unfulfilled.

“I’ve wanted this one for quite some time,” said Mostert.

“It’s very special to do it here in Perth – special to do it for the team at Walkinshaw Andretti United. First one for Ford with the team, first one for the year for Ford as well, which is pretty exciting.

“We all want to win but it’s been a little bit of time for me.

“It’ll be great for our team, great for me, it’ll be a big confidence boost and the car was mega.

“We’ve come out swinging this year, and the car is even better after the test day.”

The opening race saw rookie sensation Ryan Wood jump ahead of his pole-sitting teammate Mostert on the run through The Esses on the opening lap, and then lead the opening stanza of the race before Mostert regained the ascendency.

Brodie Kostecki was forced off at the first corner in what was a tough day for the Erebus crew after his stablemate Jack Le Brocq missed the start after a battery failure prior to the warm up lap.

It was also a costly race for Richie Stanaway, whose car faltered coming onto the pit straight, with subsequent contact from Aaron Love seeing the Kiwi planted heavily in the fence.

With mixed tyre strategy coming into play, Will Brown’s crew elected to take on four tyres, which saw him finish with a flourish.

After a prolonged battle with Wood for second, Brown set sail for Mostert, but fell 5sec short at the chequered flag.

Following a hectic battle in the closing laps, Waters just got the better of Woods on the final circuit to claim third, with Woods settling for fourth, equalling his personal best from Saturday at Taupo.

Next was Broc Feeney from James Courtney, Nick Percat, Matthew Payne, Anton De Pasquale and Thomas Randle.

Prior to Sunday’s encounter, the curtain-raising Super2 race featured multiple stoppages, including a fire for Mason Kelly and a spectacular rollover for Cameron McLeod.

The on-circuit mess conspired against Waters, who was leading from pole before slipping wide at the last turn, allowing Mostert through.

Mostert, however, found himself in trouble after an unsafe release from his pitstop, where he merged into Randle’s path.

With 5sec added to his finishing time post-race, Mostert led by only 2.5sec at the chequered flag and had to settle for second.

Brown meanwhile finished third, although he also had to overcome a 5sec penalty of his own after he nudged Randle wide while battling for position late.

Will Davison turned around a fraught Saturday to claim fourth, just ahead of Randle, then De Pasquale, Feeney, Wood, Payne and Reynolds.

The next stop for the Repco Supercars Championship is the Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley Raceway, scheduled for June 14-16.

Elsewhere in the motorsport world, three-time Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin will start from pole position for the Indy 500, after he set a new track-record four-lap run of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway this morning.

McLaughlin topped the Fast Six shootout time charts from Team Penske teammates Will Power and Josef Newgarden – the first time that the squad has locked out the front row since 1988.

Race 1 – 55 laps

Race 2 – 55 laps

Championship points:

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