{"id":498949,"date":"2026-02-23T14:05:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T14:05:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/498949\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T14:05:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T14:05:15","slug":"supercars-news-craig-lowndes-reacts-to-first-team-18-camaro-laps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/498949\/","title":{"rendered":"Supercars news: Craig Lowndes reacts to first Team 18 Camaro laps"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Craig
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCraig Lowndes has sampled a Team 18 Camaro for the first time. Image: Russell Colvin<\/p>\n

The Supercars legend will drive for a Supercars team other than Triple Eight for the first time in two decades this season, siding with Chevrolet after T8 defected to Ford.<\/p>\n

He will continue to head up the Supercheap Auto-backed wildcard program, which has moved from T8 to Team 18.<\/p>\n

Today Lowndes scored his first taste of Team 18 machinery, jumping in Anton De Pasquale\u2019s Camaro during a corporate ride day at SMP.<\/p>\n

And the seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner was impressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been great,\u201d he said. \u201cComing into a brand new team you don\u2019t know what to expect, but Team 18 run a very slick operation.<\/p>\n

\u201cDriving the car was really nice, it was good to get a feel for it. Little, small differences from where I\u2019ve come from and Team 18 , but in a good, positive way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the steering input and the weight of the steering is really nice. The car itself felt really solid and nice in a lot of ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ergonomics, I sat in Anton\u2019s car and it feels like at home again, so that side of it has been great. I\u2019m just happy to be part of the ream and looking forward to the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lowndes will share the Supercheap Camaro with ex-Carrera Cup racer turned Super2 debutant Bayley Hall, who also cut his first laps in Gen3 hardware during the ride day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the first time he\u2019s sat in a Gen3 car so it\u2019s really nice he got an opportunity to feel the car, sit in the car [and] drive the car,\u201d said Lowndes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first thing he said is the difference between the Super2 Commodore and the Gen3 Chevy is these Gen3 cars have a lot more mechanical grip. He was really excited and felt really comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Team 18 made an impressive start to the 2026 season, De Pasquale scoring a well-earned win on Saturday night in Sydney to open GM\u2019s account.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that the first one is important to set a standard and a bit of momentum,\u201d said Lowndes. \u201cAnton has definitely done that.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt shows promise in the team that the car is fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n


\"\"\/
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