Anton De Pasquale enjoyed the first ‘shake’ of Dick Johnson’s Ford Mustang Racing at the Queensland Raceway today ahead of Friday’s preseason test.
The 25-year-old, who won the Darwin Maidca Supercars award last year, has joined the team after racing for Erebus Motorsport Holden for the past three seasons.
He and new team-mate Will Davison will create a new lineup at the squad after ending DJR’s partnership with Team Penske. Royal champion Scott McLaughlin has moved to IndyCar with Penske, while Fabian Coulthard has left to join Team Sydney.
De Pasquale was caught with his first laps in DJR hardware during a 60-kilometer shake of a state-of-the-art chassis, and said he was targeting drivers’ ergonomics ahead of the test at the Ipswich base later of the week.
“It’s awful,” he said.
“This is my first day officially as a driver here. The car ran flawlessly and we got through everything we had to do and we are ready to go for Friday.
“Today was about making sure the car went out properly and that I was responding nicely in the car.
“Of course everything is new to me, I have never driven one of those cars. I wanted to make sure I was comfortable so when we arrive on Friday we are going into a test and not going around.
“There’s a couple if that’s small [differences to the Erebus Holden], but you get that team-to-team, car-to-car. It’s cool to understand that.
“I’m trying to be a big sponge and work out how to do this thing quickly.”
Also, Davison handed down a new chassis at QR, but unlike De Pasquale he has Mustang experience due to his recent time spent at Tickford Racing, and a bit of tire testing in the DJR car at the end of the year. last year.
De Pasquale said the two drivers were giving similar feedback, which he saw as a positive sign.
“We have had short short conversations [and] so far we have been saying similar views on the car, and that is what you want with teammates, “he said.
“We hope to kick together all year round, work together and make the best of our cars to fight for good results. “