Supercars stars ramp up 2023 seat time

A host of Supercars drivers have marked the first few weeks of 2023 by getting behind the wheel around Australia.

The LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour is just 10 days away, with the Supercars season to commence in Newcastle in six weeks.

Triple Eight completed its second two-car pre-Bathurst 12 Hour test day earlier this week.

Broc Feeney got behind the wheel of the #888 Supercheap Auto Mercedes-AMG at Phillip Island.

Last week, the #888 rolled out at The Bend Motorsport Park along with its sister car.

Feeney will share the #888 with Shane van Gisbergen and 2021 DTM champion Maximilian Götz.

Also last week, Richie Stanaway turned his first Triple Eight laps alongside Jamie Whincup and Prince Jefri Ibrahim.

Triple Eight won the 12 Hour in 2017, and oversaw SunEnergy1 Racing’s victory last year.

Triple Eight has completed two 12 Hour tests Pic: Triple Eight

Van Gisbergen returned to Australia after his speedway swing to partake in Gen3 prototype testing on Monday.

The three-time Supercars champion spent his summer in New Zealand racing sprint cars, and won his first race last weekend.

Cam Waters also competed in a third speedway season at Victorian speedways.

Supercars completed more testing of the prototypes at Queensland Raceway on Monday.

Van Gisbergen got behind the wheel of the Camaro for the first time since early 2022.

Last week, the likes of Whincup, James Courtney, Chaz Mostert and Will Davison drove the Gen3 prototypes.

De Pasquale’s seat time came after he helped Grove Racing to a top-four finish in the Dubai 24 Hour.

The DJR star raced to fourth overall with Earl Bamber, Stephen and Brenton Grove.

De Pasquale will also race a Grove Porsche at the February 3-5 Bathurst 12 Hour.

Also last week, Nick Percat travelled to Perth to drive an Arise Racing-prepared Radical at Wanneroo Raceway.

Percat, along with WAU engineer Adam Austin, spent time with driver coach BD Soutar-Dawson.

Second-year Tickford driver Thomas Randle lapped a V8-powered Formula Renault 3.5 at The Bend Motorsport Park on Tuesday.

Randle was recently joined by Tickford teammates Waters, Courtney and Declan Fraser in a Noosa training camp.

It marked Super2 champion Fraser’s first dealings with his new teammates after being announced at Tickford.

Andre Heimgartner also participated in track time at The Bend on Tuesday.

Last month, the Brad Jones Racing driver entered in the Valvoline Superstock Charity Invitational in Rotorua.

Heimgartner’s BJR teammate Macauley Jones has also turned to karting seat time, as has Feeney.

PremiAir Racing recruit Tim Slade has been confirmed for a Trans Am cameo at Symmons Plains in February.

Several drivers will also tackle the forthcoming Bathurst 12 Hour, with Craig Lowndes to again race a Prostate Cancer charity entry.

Slade’s teammate James Golding, who often karts in his spare time, will race a PremiAir-run Audi.

Bathurst co-drivers Lee Holdsworth, David Russell, Dean Fiore and Dylan O’Keeffe will also race Audis at the 12 Hour.

David Reynolds, meanwhile, will spearhead a Volante Rosso Motorsport Pro-Am Mercedes.

The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship will commence in Newcastle on March 10-12.

Tickets for the Bathurst 12 Hour and Thrifty Newcastle 500 are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.