D’Alberto gathers strength for Darwin

Tony D’Alberto has put the chilly grip of Sandown behind him and this week heads for sunnier skies in Darwin for Round 6 of the V8 Supercar series.

Things are looking up for D’Alberto with the prospect of three races at the Hidden Valley Raceway circuit. The track is renowned for its hot and humid weather, making driver fitness a high priority. Fitness has always been high on D’Alberto’s agenda, placing the young driver in a prime position for the round. In addition to the challenge facing drivers are the conditions that the car will contend with. The #55 Bottle-O Commodore will be put to the ultimate sprint-race test as temperatures climb and car components receive a punishing work-out.

Car set-up will be crucial to securing top level car performance. The team gets a chance to perfect car set up on Friday with a 50 lap practice session. The practice session lays the foundation for Saturday’s all important qualifying session where D’Alberto will be charged with the task of getting the most out of both the car and the circuit. D’Alberto is quietly confident heading into the round, and has enjoyed a solid preparation.

D’Alberto hopes to build on his Championship Points tally over the course of the round, having accrued 346 points for the season so far. The rest of the field will be out to challenge for the same championship points, adding an extra element for D’Alberto to navigate over the weekend.

Copyright © Rod Nash Racing 2008

Click here to open a Flash gallery of photos taken at Darwin.