The main Fujitsu Racing BA Falcon boasts a very underrated lineup. Lead driver Warren Luff and current Fujitsu Series leader Adam Macrow will join forces for Bathurst and are each experienced at the mountain. Luff has driven many years as an endurance driver, and was looking good for a podium with Marcos Ambrose last year before the regular Pirtek driver crashed out. Macrow finished on the podium with Steve Ellery, and drove impeccably in the second Team Betta Electrical Falcon. Understandably, Fujitsu Racing’s car pace isn’t on par with many of the other Ford teams, but the driver quality makes up for this. A top ten finish would be impressive, but more likely the pair will just miss that bracket.
Rating: 5.5
#26 Fujitsu BA Falcon
Jose Fernandez/Tony Ricciardello
Fernandez and Ricciardello combine in the second Fujitsu Racing Falcon, but their chances of winning are slim. Both are better suited to endurance driving duties, as neither were particularly outstanding or consistent in the sprint rounds earlier this year. Each rotated driving duties at three-race events in the #26 machine, but paired together at Bathurst, they will either surprise many or deliver an unsurprising lower-pack finish. The Fujitsu Falcon is better than last year, but the driving standard has dropped, a top twenty-five finish would be good.
Rating: 2
Team Betta Electrical
#88 Betta Electrical BA Falcon
Alan Simonsen/Richard Lyons
Team Betta Electrical’s second entry is one that boasts the only all-European lineup. It wasn’t the best performer at Sandown however both drivers are quality but inexperience is their shortcoming. This is Lyons’ second race in a V8 Supercar and at such a demanding and pressure-packed event, how he responds to the task will be interesting. Simonsen is an annual ring-in for the enduros, but again, he has had a lack of testing miles in 2006. Despite this, the pair could surprise, and a top twenty finish would be commendable.
Rating: 5
#888 Betta Electrical BA Falcon
Craig Lowndes/Jamie Whincup
Last year’s polesitters return in better shape than ever. Gone is Yvan Muller from the co-driver seat to championship leader Craig Lowndes, replaced by Lowndes’ new 2006 teammate Jamie Whincup. Forming a dangerous combination, Lowndes’ blistering pace is unmatched in the V8 Supercar Series – famously unlapping himself and finishing third at Sandown after a poor pitstop strategy put Jamie Whincup a lap down. Whincup, whilst not possessing the freakish abilities of his senior teammate, is one of the most consistently quick drivers in the championship. It is these qualities being shared this weekend that make the #888 BA Falcon one of the better picks for a win. Some negatives from last year appear present again in 2006 however. After building a tremendous lead in the opening stages of last year’s race, Lowndes famously broke a watts linkage in the Betta Electrical Falcon and dropped significantly. At last month’s Sandown, Lowndes, despite staying clean during the race, appeared hot under the collar on the team radio – an aggressiveness that will need to be curbed to prevent a repeat of 2005.
Rating: 9
![Jason Bright - Ford Performance Racing [pic: FPR]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/260662.jpg)
