Local V8 Supercar driver Tony D’Alberto heads south this weekend for the first of this year’s two endurance races, a 500-kilometre sprint around the picturesque Phillip Island circuit.
After celebrating recent success at Sandown Raceway, the 23-year old racer is eager for another top result, though this time he’ll also be relying on the talents of co-driver Andrew Thompson.
It’s an important time of the V8 Supercar season with races at Phillip Island and Bathurst pairing regular series drivers up with co-drivers for the year’s two longest races, adding an exciting element that D’Alberto says fans seem to love.
“Phillip Island, and especially Bathurst, adds a whole new dimension to racing V8 Supercars because you have two drivers in each team instead of just a single driver,” explains D’Alberto.
“That means driver changes at pit-stops and added pressure on each team to get it right of the day. Both drivers must perform, along with the team in the pits. It’s a big challenge that everyone always looks forward to.”
Thompson, who last drove with PWR in 2008, is ready for the challenge.
“It was a bit of a surprise when I got the phone call, but I jumped at it because they’re a good team with a good car; I get along with Tony very well and I think we could be a pretty good combination with how we work together,” he said.
Aiming for a top-10 finish at both long events, D’Alberto knows that staying out of trouble, yet pushing hard every inch of the way is the formula to success in the endurance races.
“We want to finish the races and try to stay out of trouble. I feel I’ve improved this year; the car is strong and Andrew has been around for a while so it’s a strong pairing,” D’Alberto said.
Last Modified on 07/09/2009 10:14