Supercars Melbourne: McLaughlin sets new record, claims double pole

The short 10-minute duration of each session and the long lap meant both sessions were effectively reduced to single-lap shootouts.

Reigning champion McLaughlin was the clear class of the field in the first of those single-lap dashes, setting a record-breaking 1m53.828s - the first ever Supercars lap at Albert Park under 1m54s - to secure a comfortable pole for the first race on Formula 1's Australian Grand Prix undercard.

DJR Team Penske team-mate Fabian Coulthard was a distant three-tenths behind in second, followed by an all-Tickford second row made up of Cam Waters and Will Davison.

Triple Eight's Shane van Gisbergen was the best of the non-Mustang drivers in fifth, followed by fellow Holden drivers Jamie Whincup, Nick Percat, James Courtney and Mark Winterbottom.

Chaz Mostert provided the biggest surprise of the first session, as he ended up way down in 22nd. The Tickford driver gambled on running later in the session than the rest of the field, but pinched a brake into Turn 1 and ran wide.

McLaughlin could not quite replicate his new record in the second session, but a 1m54.264s was still good enough for race two pole.

"The driver needs a big tune-up after that second lap, I just made a mistake," said McLaughlin.

"It wasn't my best lap by any means. I had a really good first sector and half a good second sector, I was lucky to hold on in that last sector.

"The car is good, it was awesome, the 1m53.8s was amazing.

"I'm just wheeling the thing and when the number pops up a 1m53.8s I'm fist-pumping. It's a good start."

Mostert recovered from his session-one blunder to qualify second for race two, one hundredth slower than McLaughlin, while Whincup spoiled the Mustang party with the third-fastest time.

Waters was fourth, while Coulthard needed two cracks at a lap to grab the inside of the third row alongside Tickford's Will Davison.

Erebus pair David Reynolds and Anton De Pasquale will start race two from seventh and eighth, followed by Tim Slade, Mark Winterbottom and Shane van Gisbergen.

The grids for the third and fourth races on the Australian Grand Prix support bill will be determined by two further 10-minute qualifying sessions on Friday.

Race one qualifying

Race two qualifying