Bathurst 1000: Mostert leads pre-qualifying practice

The hour-long session started with little in the way of fast times, teams instead focused on practicing driver changes and brake rotor replacements.

The fastest of that early running was Erebus driver Will Brown who banked a 2m05.174s.

As the session ticked into its second half the qualifying simulations started, Mostert setting what was the fastest time of the weekend to that point with a 2m04.540s.

In the closing minutes things got frantic at the top, Shane van Gisbergen putting in two late runs to first go third fastest with a 2m094.612s, before gapping the field with a 2m04.319s.

Mostert was able to respond, though, reclaiming top spot with a 2m04.208s.

Cam Waters, fastest in today's earlier session, dropped into third while Anton De Pasquale looked like he was going to challenge Mostert's time, going quickest in the second sector before running wide at the last corner.

The left him down in 14th and ensured Mostert would finish the session on top.

"Every time you drive around here there's a lot of commitment," said Mostert.

"It doesn't matter if you're doing 2m06s our you're closer to threes.

"The car is responding well. We've been tickling it up and it's responding well. Since we've rolled the car out of the truck it's been confident-inspiring.

"It's enjoyable to drive those laps when the car is underneath you and you're trying to flow the speed."