Morris struggles with mid-corner understeer
4/7/2004 11:53 (Press Release) -
Sirromet Wines Holden Commodore driver Paul Morris struggled with mid-corner understeer at Queensland Raceway today and qualified a disappointing 22nd for tomorrow's sixth round of the V8 Supercar Championship.
Morris had been ninth fastest in yesterday's opening practice session on the 3.1km circuit near Ipswich, with a best lap of 1-min 11.429-secs. Earlier today he was seventh quickest in the second practice session, recording 1-min 11.068-secs.
In qualifying the 36-year-old Gold Coast had a new set of tyres fitted to his VY Commodore, and expected to be faster than in practice.
However, he slipped back to 22nd in qualifying, and his time of 1-min 11.071-secs was 0.003-secs slower than his best lap in the second practice session.
Championship leader Marcos Ambrose will start from pole position in tomorrow's 280km race after recording the best lap in the Top 10 Shoot Out with 1-min 10.533-secs in a Pirtek Ford Falcon. Mark Skaife was second fastest in a Holden Racing Team Commodore and will start alongside Ambrose on the front row.
Morris finished fourth in the championship round at Queensland Raceway in 2003.
PAUL MORRIS QUOTES: "It's a mystery to all of us what happened in qualifying. The car had bad understeer mid-corner and at this stage we're not sure why. We were much quicker when we tested here a week ago in similar conditions, and even this morning we were faster on 'old' tyres.
With fresh rubber in qualifying we expected to go much quicker, but it didn't happen. I couldn't do anything because if I'd pushed any harder the car would have snapped sideways. We will keep working on the car to try and find a solution and hopefully things will be better in the warm-up tomorrow. It's a long race, and pit-stops and strategy will come into play. Maybe things will be better for us in the race."
QUALIFYING – TOP 10 SHOOT OUT:
POS DRIVERS CAR TIME
1. Marcos Ambrose Pirtek Ford Falcon 1:10.533
2. Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Commodore 1:10.585
3. Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Commodore 1:10.690
4. Steven Richards Castrol Perkins Holden Commodore 1:10.726
5. Jason Bright PWR Holden Commodore 1:10.735
6. Russell Ingall Caltex Havoline Ford Falcon 1:10.814
7. Simon Wills Team Dynamic Holden Commodore 1:11.067
8. John Bowe OzEmail Ford Falcon 1:11.167
9. Paul Radisich Betta Electrical Ford Falcon 1:11.722
10. Craig Baird Team Kiwi Holden Commodore 1:12.538
OTHER:
22. Paul Morris Sirromet Wines Holden Commodore 1:11.071
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after round 5): Ambrose 872, R. Kelly 822, S.
Richards 820, Murphy 811, Bright 783, Bowe 638, Ingall 634, Tander 600, T. Kelly 597, Weel 569. Other: Morris 394
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