Super2, Round 1, Sydney Motorsport Park
Hamish Fitzsimmons officially began his Super2 chapter this Friday at Sydney Motorsport Park. In a day defined by rapid learning curves and the blistering intensity of a 20-car field, Hamish proved he belongs at the front of the pack.
Practice 1: Finding the Rhythm The season opened with a dedicated 10-minute rookie window. Hamish used every second to acclimatize to his new Mustang surroundings. Once the full field joined, the intensity spiked.
Despite some last-minute cockpit adjustments just minutes before the green light, Hamish surged into the Top 10 early on. He logged a mammoth 23 laps, finishing P15. While others burnt through rubber for a late-session "glory lap," Hamish focused on race pace and consistency.
"Hamish did everything we asked of him," noted legendary engineer Adam DeBorre. "He’s professional the way he goes about it."
Practice 2: Speed vs. Strategy As the sun set over an overcast Sydney, Practice 2 became a game of high-stakes chess. Hamish showed immediate pace, firing the car into the Top 5 within the opening minutes.
The session wasn't without its "rookie lessons." A lock-up into Turn 8 resulted in a pinched front-left tyre, forcing a strategy pivot. Despite the setback, the Masterton team successfully tested Hamish’s launch technique—a critical skill in the notoriously difficult Super2 machinery. He closed the day P17 with a clear direction for Saturday’s qualifying.
The Driver’s Take: "The car felt great early, but that flat spot threw our strategy off," Hamish said. "We tried some mid-session setup changes that didn’t quite hit the mark, but I’m getting more consistent with every lap. I know where the speed is."
Fitzsimmons Navigates Curveballs in Sydney Super2 Debut
Day 2
The second day of the Super2 season opener at Sydney Motorsport Park was a masterclass in adaptability for Hamish Fitzsimmons. Facing track surface dramas, a shortened circuit, and his first official race start, the rookie showcased the resilience required to compete at the pinnacle of Australian pathway racing.
Qualifying: A Change of Plans
Saturday morning threw a technical curveball at the 20-car field. Following issues with newly resurfaced bitumen at Turn 8, race officials made the call to delay qualifying by two hours. To ensure driver safety, the session was moved to the Druitt (North) Circuit, a shortened configuration that cuts from Turn 4 directly to Turn 9.
In hot, breezy conditions with rain threatening on the horizon, Hamish headed out for his first-ever Super2 qualifying session. He showed immediate intent, hovering around P13 during his initial run. As the rubber went down and the field found their rhythm in the second half of the session, times tumbled across the board. While Hamish couldn't quite hook up the perfect lap in the dying minutes, he secured P17 on the grid—a solid foundation for his debut race.
Race 1: The Steep Learning Curve
The drama continued into the afternoon as officials elected to keep the race on the shortened Druitt track to allow repairs on the main circuit to set. As the lights went green, a light sprinkle of rain added an extra layer of complexity to the 20-car charge.
It was a "trial by fire" start for the #?? Mustang. Hamish missed the initial jump, dropping to the rear of the field as the pack roared toward Turn 1. However, the Masterton-backed driver didn't drop his head. He immediately began a spirited recovery, picking off cars to fight his way back to his original starting position.
The charge was briefly interrupted when Hamish overshot a braking marker, sending him off-track and back to the tail of the field. Undeterred, he spent the remainder of the race clocking consistent, competitive lap times, eventually clawing his way back to finish P16.
Despite the result not fully reflecting his pace, Hamish remained optimistic about the car's performance and his own growth behind the wheel.
“The car felt great. A few mistakes were costly today, but I felt I had really good race pace, it’s just a pity about my track position,” Hamish said. “The longer the race went, the more comfortable I felt. I’m finding that rhythm.”
Team Owner James Masterton echoed that sentiment, noting the importance of banking laps during a rookie campaign.
“Overall, it’s been a day of learning. It’s great to see Hamish progress through the weekend and handle everything that’s been thrown at him,” Masterton commented.
With the "debut nerves" officially out of the way and the race pace proven, Hamish Fitzsimmons Racing turns its focus to the final day of Round 1. The team will look to capitalize on the data gathered today to move further up the mid-pack during Sunday's sessions.
Sydney Heat
Day 3
The opening round of the Super2 season wrapped up at Sydney Motorsport Park under gruelling conditions, providing Hamish Fitzsimmons with a weekend defined by steep learning curves and resilient recovery drives.
Qualifying: Chasing the Perfect Lap
Hamish showed immediate speed in Sunday morning's Qualifying session for Race 2, hovering near the top of the timing screens as the second-fastest car early on. However, the transition to "green" tyres for the mid-session flyer proved tricky. While Hamish banked several competitive sectors, the nuances of Super2 qualifying where tyre peak and traffic must align perfectly kept him from stitching together a single representative lap. He would ultimately secure P18 on the grid for race 2.
"I’ve got a good feel for the car," Hamish noted after the session. "I just need more laps to ensure I can put that single, complete lap together when the tyres are at their best."
Race 2: A Test of Temperament and Temperature
The mercury climbed to a sweltering 36°C for the final sprint of the weekend, making cockpit cooling systems the most vital components on the grid.
The challenge intensified before the lights even went out. A technical infringement penalty relegated Hamish to the very back of the pack in 20th position. A rare stall at the start saw him lose further ground, forcing a high-intensity chase to catch the field.
Just as Hamish began slicing through the pack, chaos erupted at Turn 2. Contact with another competitor resulted in a 10-second penalty, once again dropping him to the rear. Despite the setbacks, Hamish showcased his underlying pace, maintaining lead-lap speed and recording respectable lap times to cross the line in P18.
The Takeaway
Reflecting on a weekend of highs and lows, Hamish remains focused on the long game and the strength of his new partnership with Masterton Motorsport.
"It was a bit of a hollow finish to the weekend, but there are plenty of positives and negatives to take away," said Hamish. "I’ve really enjoyed working with James and the whole Masterton Motorsport crew. Having someone like Adam DeBorre in my corner as engineer is a massive asset as we move forward."
