Shepparton product Garry Jacobson will take to the mecca of Australian motorsport this weekend, as he gears up for the Melbourne 400 at Albert Park.
Strutting his stuff alongside the who’s who of both the V8 Supercars and Formula One fraternity, a sell-out crowd is expected to pack into the renowned racing precinct.
For Jacobson, the goal will be to climb off the bottom of the championship’s rankings after a pair of underwhelming showings in the Sydney SuperNight and Tasmania SuperSprint.
This year’s Melbourne 400 event provides a new challenge to the 25-strong fleet of V8 Supercar drivers, with a revised track layout seeing the former Turn 9/10 chicane complex removed, and other corners widened, in moves that shorten the lap length by 24m to 5.279km.
With the course now expected to drive quicker than ever, Jacobson said he was excited to take on the challenge.
“I’m looking forward to seeing some unpredictable results this event. I’m sure that everybody is excited about learning the new circuit and the fresh bitumen layout will provide some fast and grippy conditions for the Supercars,” Jacobson said.
“In terms of not knowing what car setups work or having no knowledge of the track will be good for spectators because I think it’ll provide some chances for people to shoot up and down in the order between practice and qualifying. It’ll be very unpredictable!”
The Melbourne 400 is always a special event for the Victorian, with family and friends able to easily get down and support the Shepparton native as he goes about his business.
“It’s a great spectacle racing in Melbourne especially with some afternoon sunset races on the cards,” he said.
“I consider it my home track so it will be nice to see familiar faces that have supported me throughout my career.”
The Melbourne 400 runs until Sunday afternoon, with all sessions being streamed on Kayo.