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Craig Lowndes returns from injury in V8 Supercars testing

Three-time V8 Supercars champion Craig Lowndes has returned from injury to test his new Holden Commodore

Lowndes broke his collarbone in a motorcycle accident last month, and missed the Bathurst 12 Hour GT race, in which he was set to race an Audi.

A fortnight out from the start of the 2016 V8 Supercars season in Adelaide, Lowndes tested his new Triple Eight chassis at Queensland Raceway on Thursday.

"It's a test day for us and I'm always looking forward to being in the car but at the same time it was a bit of a test for me, to see how the body feels," Lowndes told the series' website on Thursday afternoon.

"I've been in the car since nine o'clock this morning, got out once and I feel fine, I feel really good.

"If I can be in the car for most of, if not all of the day, it is obviously a benefit for me going into a race like [Adelaide], which I still classify as one of the toughest races.

"You jump kerbs, it's going to be quite hot by the looks of the weather over there at the moment - it's going to be a cracking weekend."

Joining an expanded Triple Eight alongside Lowndes and Jamie Whincup in 2016, Shane van Gisbergen had his first full test with the team on Thursday.

The Kiwi, who won the Bathurst 12 Hour with McLaren, drove a customer Triple Eight Commodore with Tekno between 2013 and '15.

"It's still a Triple Eight car, so I'm getting a feel for it," he said of his new ride.

"The set-up philosophy is a little bit different, so it's just [about] feeling comfortable."

Of the other new combinations, van Gisbergen's replacement Will Davison tested with Tekno, and Fabian Coulthard started work with DJR Team Penske.

2016 FIELD SET

This season's grid is now complete, with news Andre Heimgartner will drive the second Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport Commodore.

The New Zealander drove a Prodrive-run Super Black Racing Falcon last year, recording three top-10 finishes in 30 starts.

That seat has been filled by Chris Pither, while Heimgartner replaces Tim Blanchard, who has moved to Brad Jones Racing.

V8 SUPERCARS FIELD

PRODRIVE RACING AUSTRALIA (FORD)
Mark Winterbottom
Chaz Mostert
Cameron Waters (Dunlop series in 2015) [To be announced]
Chris Pither (Dunlop Series in 2015)

TRIPLE EIGHT (HOLDEN)
Jamie Whincup
Craig Lowndes
Shane van Gisbergen (Tekno in 2015)

HOLDEN RACING TEAM (HOLDEN)
James Courtney
Garth Tander

BRAD JONES RACING (HOLDEN)
Jason Bright
Tim Slade (Walkinshaw Racing in 2015)
Tim Blanchard (Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport in 2015)

NISSAN MOTORSPORT (NISSAN)
Rick Kelly
Todd Kelly
Michael Caruso
Dale Wood (Brad Jones Racing in 2015)

VOLVO GRM (VOLVO)
Scott McLaughlin
James Moffat (Nissan Motorsport in 2015)

DJR TEAM PENSKE (FORD)
Fabian Coulthard (Brad Jones Racing in 2015)
Scott Pye

EREBUS MOTORSPORT (HOLDEN)
David Reynolds (Prodrive in 2015)
Aaren Russell (Dunlop Series in 2015)

LUCAS DUMBRELL MOTORSPORT (HOLDEN)
Nick Percat
Andre Heimgartner (Prodrive in 2015)

TEKNO AUTOSPORT (HOLDEN)
Will Davison (Erebus Motorsport in 2015)

CHARLIE SCHWERKOLT RACING (HOLDEN)
Lee Holdsworth (Walkinshaw Racing in 2015)

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