Cutts sweeps Friday practice in Sydney

Sydney Motorsport Park is once again proving to be a happy hunting ground for Cooper Cutts, who has topped First Focus Radical Cup Australia practice today in Sydney.

Cutts topped the timing sheets in all three sessions, recording the fastest lap of the day – a 1:28.3898s – in Practice 3. 

Current championship leader Peter Paddon also set his fastest lap in the final outing, a mere .5989s behind Cutts. Sydney-sider and Focus Motorsport racer Mark Brame returns to First Focus Radical Cup Australia the grid for the first time this year and made the most of his home-track advantage, rounding out the top three (1:29.3828s). 

Chris Reindler and Bryce Moore also had a strong opening to Round 2, wrapping up the day fourth overall in the #28 Lance East Exotics SR3 XX.

While Brame was the fastest of the AM class racers, another familiar returning face, that of Zig Fuhrmeister, and Terry Knowles also made their presence known in fifth and sixth overall.

The newly repainted bubblegum-inspired #18 of Brad Russell claimed P7 and a new PB before a small mistake saw him into the wall in Practice 2, with the team now working hard to repair the Radical XXR ahead of Qualifying and racing tomorrow. Arise Racing rookie Ruairidh Avern (P8), Nick Kelly (P9), and Colin Ivory – sharing driving duties with Josh Hunt this weekend – rounded out the top 10.

Overnight showers gave way to clearing skies in time for the 20-strong First Focus Radical Cup Australia field to hit the track for three 20-minute practice sessions.

Practice 1 was a lively affair with Cutts, returning Radical racer Brame, and Paddon all trading fastest lap times throughout. Cutts would go on to finish the session on top with an impressive 1:28.5566s effort and just 0.9s covering the top three. 

Practice 2 was just as competitive, if not more so, with 1.06s covering Cutts, Paddon, Moore, Brame and Knowles at the end of the red-flag shortened session. Paddon enjoyed a brief spell in the purple before Cutts answered with not one, but multiple subsequently faster laps. New Zealand’s Tim Edgell and First Focus Radical Cup Australia newcomer also had a brief trip to the pointy end in P2, before wrapping up just outside the top 10. 

Practice 3 saw some of the fastest laps of the day, with six of the top 10 drivers setting their fastest laps in the final session.

Round 2 of the 2025 First Focus Radical Cup Australia at Sydney Motorsport Park continues Saturday, 3 May, with Qualifying at 9.35am ahead of two 25-minute sprint races at 12.05pm and 3.40pm AEST. All races will be broadcast live on 7plus this weekend, while international audiences can watch via the Radical Motorsport YouTube Channel.